Free Masked by Norah McClintock Page A

constitute being quiet. “If you have something to say, you have to come to where I am and say it.”
    Corey blinks at me. He’s standing near the stereo, his head sideways as he reads the titles in my dad’s cd collection. I don’t know why he’s bothering. They’re almost all jazz, and as far as I know, Corey doesn’t like jazz.
    â€œI’ll be ten minutes,” I say. “Do you think you can keep quiet for ten minutes?”
    â€œSure. Whatever.” He shrugs, like it’s no big deal.
    â€œMy dad is right downstairs, Corey.”
    â€œSo?” Another shrug. Suddenly I want to strangle him. “You said that once he goes downstairs, he’s there until the store closes,” Corey says. “You said he never comes back up here.”
    â€œUnless there’s a reason. I said he doesn’t come up unless there’s a reason. If he hears shouting, that’s a reason.”
    Corey looks irritated, and that scares me a little, so I dial it back. I don’t want this to go wrong. I can’t afford it to.
    â€œJust ten more minutes, I promise,” I say.
    â€œYou said you’d be ready when I got here,” Corey complains. “I’ve been standing out here doing nothing ever since I arrived.”
    â€œI’m sorry. But it’s all my dad’s fault. He had a bunch of stuff he wanted me to do in the store.” That’s the number-two thing I’m not going to miss—that stupid store. The number-one thing is my dad. All he cares about is his store and his profit margin, which is why he watches kids and single moms like they’re criminals who only come in to rip him off instead of customers he should be glad to have. It’s why I never let my friends come near the place. If my dad treated any of them the way he treats other kids, it’d be all over school.
    I run to Corey and kiss him on the cheek, hoping it will calm him down. Hoping, too, that it will make him remember the good times we used to have and the good times that are ahead for us.
    â€œI’ll be ready before you know it,” I say. I scurry back to my room and continue to stuff clothes into a green plastic garbage bag. The suitcase I planned to take is already full. So is my backpack. And I’m determined not to leave anything behind, even though I’m going to have to buy a lot of new clothes pretty soon.
    I work as fast as I can, and not just because I promised Corey. I want to be gone in case Leon comes by. I tried to discourage him. I told him it wasn’t a good idea, that my dad was in a bad mood, and he knows what that means. I told him that I had to work in the store, so there was no point in showing up. Usually he does exactly what I tell him, but today I’m not so sure. There was something different in his voice when he called. There was something different in his face all day at school too. But he wouldn’t tell me what the matter was.
    So, fine, let him come even after I told him not to. Let him ring the bell in the back and get no answer. There’s no way he’ll dare go into the store to see if I’m there. There’s no way he’ll ask my dad where I am. Neither of them will know I’m gone until it’s too late.
    I jam the last sweater from the bottom drawer of my dresser into the bag and close it with a twist tie. There. Done.
    I pick up the bag and the suitcase, sling the strap of my backpack over my shoulder and drag everything down the hall to the living room. That’s when I hear it.
    â€œRosie!”
    My dad’s voice rises through the floor like he’s holding a bullhorn and has pressed it right up against the ceiling of the store.
    â€œRose, get down here! Now!”
    Corey looks at me, annoyed, and waits to see what I’m going to do.
    â€œI have to go down there,” I say. “If I don’t, he’ll come up here.”
    â€œSo? You think I’m afraid of your