Free We Know It Was You by Maggie Thrash Page A

wouldn’t be telling us to give it to the police. He’d be glad we were keeping it to ourselves. It’s just . . . the principle. Don’t ever show anything to anyone without asking me first.”
    â€œI won’t,” Virginia swore, actually making the cross-my-heart sign like a kindergartener. Benny looked at her and felt tense. He wasn’t sure Virginia actually got what he was saying. Maybe she could be obedient, but it would be better if she could just understand.
    â€œDo you know that expression ‘knowledge is power’?” he asked.
    Virginia nodded.
    â€œWell it’s not true,” Benny said. “Not intrinsically, anyway. Knowledge is only powerful when you have it and other people don’t . And that’s why we don’t share information—not with the police, not with anyone. Not even harmless-seeming people like Gerard. Every person you share information with, you reduce your own power. I reduce my power by sharing information with you . But I choose to do it, because I choose to trust you.”
    Virginia looked at him, nodding earnestly. “I appreciate that. And I totally trust you, too.”
    Benny winced a little and felt his cheeks getting hot. “I mean, it’s not a big deal. It’s just a matter of . . . machinery. The more moving parts in a machine, the weaker the machine is. So . . .” Benny trailed off. Oh my God, what am I rambling about? “So what are we doing here?” he asked.
    â€œOh!” Virginia exclaimed, suddenly excited. “I have a hunch !”
    Benny rolled his eyes. Virginia was way too into the mystery-solving lingo like “hunch” and “gumshoe.” “What kind of hunch?” he pressed, humoring her.
    â€œYou’ll see. Watch.” She pointed at the cheerleaders, who had begun running in a small circle in the football field. Benny raised his hand to shield his eyes against the afternoon sun.
    â€œBrittany would want us to keep cheering,” Coach Graffe was saying to the girls somberly. “We still have a tri-county championship to win!”
    â€œThere,” Virginia said. “Look at their feet.”
    Benny looked. They just seemed like normal feet to him. “Um, okay . . .”
    â€œThey run on their toes . Every single cheerleader does it. I noticed it when I ran into Corny Davenport in the hall today.”
    Benny nodded slowly. Virginia went on. “It’s totally unconscious. Like, ingrained in their feet. They could be running for their lives, and I bet they’d still do it just like that—on their toes.”
    Benny closed his eyes, the memory of Friday night flashing in his mind. The bright stadium lights, the music blaring from the speakers. The great lion charging across the field, carried by a pair of stomping, flat feet.
    The music hall, 3:45 p.m.
    â€œI think Angie’s having a nervous breakdown,” Virginia declared. She and Benny were sitting on the floor outside Mr. Choi’s office. The halls were empty and quiet. “She seemed, like, disconnected from reality.”
    â€œI can’t believe she even came to school,” Benny said. He checked his watch. It was three forty-five, and nobody had entered or exited Mr. Choi’s office. He was starting to feel like they were wasting their time.
    â€œApparently she’s been wandering around school all day, randomly napping. Like, sleeping in bushes and stuff. That’s what I heard.”
    â€œSomeone should drive her home,” Benny said. Why did no one ever take responsibility in these situations?
    â€œAnd she said my perfume was trailer trash, but it’s not,” Virginia continued. “It’s French.”
    Benny looked at his watch again.
    â€œDo you like my perfume?” she said, shoving her wrist in Benny’s face.
    â€œHey, are you guys waiting for Mr. Choi?”
    Benny and Virginia looked