About 10 minutes later, I looked up, and over Lexy’s shoulder, I saw Jen and Gabe watching us from a distance. I wiped my eyes, and Lexy looked over her shoulder and saw Jen and Gabe also. I stood up and motioned them over.

“What’s going on?” Jen asked.

“I can’t explain it again, but Lexy can Lexy can tell you. I have to go. I told Ma that I’d be home right after school to hang out with Katie.”

“Are you sure you’re OK, Jack?” Lexy asked.

“Yeah, thanks for listening,” I said. “Bye.” I waved and put on a fake smile so that Lexy wouldn’t worry. I walked away, and looked back for a moment to see Lexy showing them the article she had found on the Internet about the accident.

When I got home, I stopped for a moment before I walked in. I took a deep breath, and made sure that I wasn’t starting to cry again. When I walked in the door, I called out to see where Ma and Katie were. No one answered, so I walked in to the kitchen, and saw a note on the table. I walked over and read it.

“Dear Jack,
We decided to go to the mall, and I figured you wouldn’t want to go with us. Be back later!!
Ma
PS: The hospital called, and I don’t have to work tonight.”

After I finished reading it, I decided to start on my homework right away to make it look like I had done some of it in Study Hall. While I was doing my math, the phone rang. I decided to ignore it, and let the machine get it. I didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now. If anyone asked, I hadn’t heard the phone ring. I did listen to hear who it was though. When I heard my Aunt’s voice on the machine, I went back to my math. About an hour later, I finished my homework and decided to check my email. I deleted the junk mail, and looked at the 3 messages that we left. Two of them were jokes from a joke list I had joined, and one was from Lexy.

“Jack,
Making sure you’re OK. Hakuna Matata!! We’ll help you whenever you need it.
Your friend,
Lexy”

I smiled at her Hakuna Matata. It was such a Lexy thing to say. Right then, I heard the front door open.

“Hello? Jack? You home?” Ma’s voice came up the stairs.

“Coming!” I yelled back. Lexy’s email had made me feel better, so I walked down the stairs smiling. “Hey!” I said when I got to the kitchen. “Find anything interesting?”

“Just girl stuff. You wouldn’t like it,” Katie said as she sprayed some perfume in front of my face. I coughed at the smell, and stepped back a little.

“How was school?” Ma asked, coming over to hug me.

“Fine,” I said and walked to the cookie jar to get a chocolate chip cookie. “What’s for dinner? I’m starved!” I added.

“Hm, I think I’m rubbing off on you!” Katie said jokingly.

We made dinner and ate it, and then sat down to watch TV.

“Don’t you have homework?” Ma asked.

“I did it in Study Hall,” I lied, not taking my eyes off the screen. Ma could always tell by looking at my eyes if I was lying by looking at my eyes.

“Hey, Kate,” I said suddenly looking over at her. “How did you convince your parents to let you miss school?”

“It’s easy,” she replied, looking at me. “I’m on spring break right now.

“Hey, I have an idea!” Ma said. “How would you like to see Jack’s school, Katie?”

“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” I asked, and Katie looked at me again and smiled.

“Why don’t you go to school with Jack tomorrow?”

“OK, that sounds like fun!” Katie said.

The next day, we walked into my first class, Math, and I froze.

“Oh, no!” I said and groaned.