Free Parallel Visions by Cheryl Rainfield Page A

’ t let you hurt yourself like this again. ”
    “ It ’ s not your choice. I have to try to help them if I can! If you could see what Mason ’ s done to Jenna—”
    “ So you call the police. You don ’ t try to stop it yourself. And you don ’ t risk your life by sparking an asthma attack. I like you, Kate. I like you a lot. But I won ’ t watch you hurt yourself. ”
    “ Then don ’ t watch, ” I say, wheezing.
    “ All right, I won ’ t! ” Gil scowls. Then he turns and stalks off.
    The sky is grey with roiling clouds—exactly the way I feel. I walk to school alone, still wheezing.

    Every time I see Gil in the hall, at lunch, in class, his eyes grow dark, and he turns away. It ’ s made the day feel agonizingly slow. I want to throw myself against him and tell him how sorry I am, just so he ’ ll look at me again with soft eyes. But I can ’ t.
    He ’ s right; it was risky, triggering that attack.
    But I found out important things that I wouldn ’ t have known otherwise. I know why Inez wants to kill herself now. Maybe it ’ ll help her heal if she talks about it. And I found out that Mason is spying on Jenna through her cell. That ’ s why he came home early when I was at her place. That ’ s how he knows what I ’ ve been saying to her. And that ’ s why he ’ s been beating her even more—because of our conversations.
    I close my eyes, seeing Jenna again on the floor, curled up against the pain. She could lose the baby. Sustain internal injuries. Get a concussion. I know she can die. And I made it worse by telling her what I know while Mason listened in.
    I chew on my lip so hard I draw blood. I have to find a way to get Jenna out of there—without her phone.
    I look up at the wall clock. It ’ s almost three. I know where I ’ m going after school.
    I glance across the seats at Gil. His shoulder is hunched up away from me. I sigh softly and watch the clock until the bell rings. I don ’ t even bother going to my locker; instead, I head out the heavy school doors into the warm afternoon. I make a wide circle around the kids smoking on the steps, squinting against the bright sun. Gil ’ s already in the parking lot, a group of girls around him, laughing, talking, touching his shirt, trying to get his attention. For a moment I think he might turn to look at me, but he ignores me.
    My phone shrills. It ’ s Jenna. “ Hello? ”
    “ You bitch, how could you do this to me? I told you to back off! ”
    “ Jenna? What are you talking about? ”
    “ You phoned the cops on Mason! ”
    “ What? ” I stop walking. “ No, I didn ’ t. I swear I didn ’ t. ” My mind races. Who could have done this? A neighbor? But Jenna barely made a sound when Mason beat her. Mom and Dad? But they would have talked to me first.
    “ Don ’ t lie to me. Mom and Dad would never do this. ” Jenna ’ s screaming and crying, her voice breaking up. “ I will not press charges against him, do you hear me? I ’ m going to bail him out. He ’ ll be back home tomorrow, where he belongs. You ’ ve gone too far, Kate. Crossed a line and done something you can ’ t take back. ”
    “ I didn ’ t do it, Jenna; I swear! ” I cry. “ You know I wouldn ’ t! ”
    A head turns. Gil ’ s looking at me, his face tense. My feet grow heavy. I know who did this.
    “ I don ’ t know anything anymore, not when it comes to you. You are out of my life, Kate. For good! ” The phone goes dead.
    I stare at my cell, blinking. Then I stride toward Gil, ignoring the girls around him.
    “ Hey! ” one of the girls says.
    I grab Gil ’ s arm and drag him away.
    “ How could you do this to me? ” I ask. “ How could you betray me like this? ”
    “ Betray you? I ’ m trying to protect you! To save your life! ”
    The girls edge closer, fascinated. I yank Gil away even further. “ I didn ’ t ask you to! ”
    “ I couldn ’ t just stand by and watch you risk your life when there are other ways to deal with this.