Free Shatterproof by Jocelyn Shipley

Chapter One
    Saturday morning I wake up earlier than I do on a school day. I want to leave before I lose my nerve and change my mind. I can’t go without checking on Mom, so I poke my head into her room. She’s awake but still in bed, tucked under her flowery pink duvet. “Okay, I’m off now,” I say, not making eye contact. Not looking at the wheelchair waiting for her. “See you tonight. Love you.”
    “Bye, love you too.” Mom waves and blows me a kiss. “Let me know when you get there. And have a great day!”
    I rush to the front door, almost colliding with Etta, Mom’s community health worker. “Going for a run?” she asks, stepping aside for me.
    I do train most mornings. But not today. “Cross-country meet in Victoria. Coach is driving the team down, then taking us all out for dinner after.” It’s the same story I told Mom.
    But that’s not where I’m going.
    “Sounds wonderful,” Etta says. “You deserve some fun.”
    I nod, afraid she’ll guess I’m lying. “I really wish you were on shift later.” Etta is Mom’s favorite CHW . But after she gets Mom up and bathed this morning, she will be off for a couple of days.
    “Your mom will be fine, just like when you’re at school.” Etta hangs up her coat and checks her phone. “You’re a big help, Nate. She’s lucky to have you.”
    “Thanks. It’s just that I’m always here for dinner.”
    Etta pats my shoulder. “You worry too much. You need to have some fun. Go have a good time.”
    Guilt almost stops me.
    But I can’t wait to get out of Herring Bay and off Vancouver Island. I can’t wait to see my friend Lug again. I can’t wait to hang out like we used to.
    I wish I could sleep over at Lug’s. Or even stay a couple hours longer. But it’s too risky. Sneaking away for one short day will have to be enough.
    I jog down our lane and out to the bus stop on the highway. The bus takes me to the ferry terminal. It’s going to be expensive, but this day will be so worth it.
    As soon as I board the ferry, I rush to line up for the café. The aroma of fried food makes me ravenous. I order bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast, grab a table and devour my feast. Man, it tastes good, especially since I didn’t have to make it. I’ve been doing a lot of cooking since Mom’s accident.
    Then I find a window seat near the video arcade. I can’t waste any money in there, so I plug in my earbuds and listen to music. I drift off to sleep for a while.
    When I open my eyes Vancouver is coming into view on the horizon. It looks like a toy city off in the distance. I head out to the deck for some fresh air.
    It’s a crisp fall day, partly sunny with a light wind. The ocean shines a deep greenish-blue. Fluffy white clouds cap the coastal mountains.
    But the closer the ferry sails to the terminal, the worse I feel about leaving Mom today. Yeah, she manages on her own during the week, but when I’m not there, she’s lonely. After she broke her back skiing last winter, she lost her job, her busy life and most of her friends. “Nate,” she often says, “what would I ever do without you?”
    Dad left two weeks after she came home from rehab. He renovated our house to make it accessible for her, and then he moved out. What a jerk!
    Actually, he’d started being a jerk before Mom’s accident. Maybe he would have left anyway. But his timing sucked. At least he pays for a lot of help for Mom. It made me mad when Mom asked if I’d be seeing him today, since he lives in Victoria. Like I’d want to spend time with him. I haven’t talked to my dad since he left. Mom’s question also added to my guilt, because she believes I’m going to Victoria.
    I hate myself for lying to her. But she forbade me to ever see or talk to Lug again. And that’s not fair. Lug has been my best friend for eight years.
    I feel bad about Mom’s accident and all, but she can’t tell me who to be friends with. If Lug hadn’t moved to Vancouver in July, I would be sneaking