Free A Missing Peace by Beth Fred

that night, so Kailee could leave her sparkling sadistic pink message.”
    â€œNu-uh.”
    â€œI’m serious.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œYeah.” Blood beat under my cheeks as I realized I was about to admit something I’d never said out loud. “I thought he liked me,” I whispered. “We went out for pizza, or I would have been home. I would have been the only person home.”
    Morgan put her hand on my arm. “Mirriam, I think there’s more to the story than you know. He does like you.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Right. No chance. I’m just another raghead. Oh wait—that’s what the note on my garage door said.”
    â€œHe told Kailee to leave you alone. He said you’re hot.”
    â€œWhen?”
    â€œOn Facebook. Why are you the only person in the world with no Facebook account?”
    â€œLong story,” I said as we walked to class.
    Morgan told me Kailee changed her profile pic because of it, and Kailee thinks we’re dating, which is why people keep asking.
    Every time I saw Kailee she glared at me, but it didn’t bother me. It was no worse than usual.
    Two days passed before I heard from Caleb. Morgan thought I should call him or drop by, but I didn’t care to. I didn’t know what to think about him publicly defending me. I was glad someone did, but I still wasn’t convinced he didn’t get me out of the house that night. Maybe, he felt indebted to me since I dragged him out of the road that night, and that was why he’d defended me.
    I knew one thing, though. Sitting on his couch day in and day out, wallowing in his misery because he had a bad leg now was only going to make things worse. I knew because I tried it for months after we were relocated to the U.S. It didn’t help.
    Caleb needed help, and I needed his portion of the work done for Government class. Well, truthfully, I didn’t. I could have done the project on my own and done it well, but I wasn’t going to do all the work, so he could make an A.
    I rapped on his door twice. I was already opening it when he said, “Come in.”
    â€œHi.” It didn’t seem like the best opening, but I didn’t know what else to say.
    At least he’d changed clothes since the last time I saw him, but his shirt was rumpled with a big crease going down the chest. Unlike the suave guy that walked around school in pressed jeans or khakis, he was in sweats, and it looked like he’d been wearing them for three days.
    â€œHey,” he said.
    â€œI’m almost done with my half of the project.”
    â€œCool.”
    â€œWhat about you? Where are you at?”
    â€œI’m not doing it.”
    â€œWhat do you mean, you’re not doing it?”
    â€œI’m just not. Why should I? What’s the chance I’ll be there for this big debate?”
    â€œWhat’s the chance you’ll get up and come?”
    â€œI’d love to get off this damned couch. I’m doing good to stand up most days.”
    â€œClass is an hour. If you’re having trouble with your leg, use crutches or a wheelchair. I’m sure you can make it through one hour.”
    â€œWhat’s the point?”
    â€œI have no idea. Ask Mrs. Culpepper. I’m just trying to graduate.”
    â€œI don’t mean the project. The class, school, all of it—what’s the point?”
    â€œBecause you can’t go to college without it.”
    â€œYeah, well, that’s out of the picture for me. So I don’t see a point in any of this anymore. I’m sorry, princess, but you’re on your own for the project.”
    This didn’t sound right. How could you just quit a project? I didn’t miss that he referred to me as ‘princess’ and the word dripped in sarcasm. “I don’t understand. You have enough credits to graduate without Government? And why am I a princess all of the