I rub my head because it’s beginning to ache, but if he’s offering me an easy way to get there, I might as well take it. So I walk around and get in the passenger side.
“How’s your birthday going?” he asks, pulling onto Lincoln Avenue.
“Shitty. I might as well be invisible, that’s how much people give a fuck about my birthday.”
He laughs and I look over at him. I’d say he’s late forties, with blond hair that is just about to go gray, and he’s lean and athletic. Not a bad-looking guy for a guidance counselor. And he’s tolerant with my fucks. I sorta like that about him.
“It doesn’t get any easier, you know.”
“I figured as much.”
“But I’ve been in this school for ten years and I rarely see kids with so much potential come through needing help. So I’m taking a personal interest in you.”
“Great,” I mumble.
“I’m sorry about your sister.”
I swallow hard and look straight ahead as we ride down Lincoln.
“It’s got to be hard to be uprooted in the middle of your junior year, moved out to California, and then have to switch schools three times in nine months.”
“Well,” I say, rummaging through my backpack for a cigarette, “it wasn’t a picnic, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“So your brother-in-law?”
“What about him?” I ask, lighting up and blowing my smoke out the window.
“He’s…” I look over at Bowman. “Good to you?”
“We tolerate each other.”
“And the baby?”
I nod and take another drag. “She’s sweet. I love her.”
“He’s doing OK with her?”
“Why do you want to know?” I ask, getting pissed. “I’m not a chatty girl, Bowman. And I’m private. So if you’ve got a question, don’t beat around the bush. Just ask, and if I want to answer, I will.”
“Is he taking care of her, Shannon? We had a meeting about you when you first registered. So everyone knows your situation. And I was asked today to find things out. I’m pretty sure you’re a girl who can take care of herself. But a three-month-old baby is something else entirely. If you need help in that area, I want you to come to me. Understand?”
I take another drag of my cigarette and blow rings. “He’s doing as well as any guy would if their wife OD’d and left them with an infant. She’s in daycare and he works his ass off to pay for it, so that’s why he can’t take off work to cart my ass around. And besides,” I say, suddenly feeling very tired, “as you pointed out this morning, I’m eighteen now. So I’m just lucky he lets me stay at the apartment.”
We pull into a parking lot and Bowman stops the car. “OK, just checking. I’ll wait and drive you home if you want.”
I grab my pack and open the door. “No, thanks. I can hitchhike.” And then I slam the door and walk off.
Nosy-ass bastard.
Please, God, I say, feeling my Catholic upbringing coming out. Just give me a break in here. It’s my birthday. I deserve at least one break.
Chapter Three
“Mr. Bowman called about you.”
“I bet he did,” I say dryly.
“We weren’t going to have any trig classes this semester, but he put in for a special request for you before Christmas.”
“He did?” Jesus Christ. The fucker’s been looking out for me.
“Yes,” the older woman says from across the counter. “Now here’s your official schedule.” She holds it out, pointing. “You owe three hundred and fifty dollars.”
“What?”
“Sorry, let me explain. Normally you would owe three hundred and fifty dollars, but Mr. Bowman got your fee waived this afternoon. It takes a few weeks for that to come in. So if you get a bill in the mail, just ignore it.” She smiles at me.
“OK, thank you,” I say, taking my schedule and exhaling a long breath. I guess if Bowman has anything to say about it, I’ll get that diploma after all. “I’ll be back—”
“Wait, wait, wait,” the secretary says, just as I’m about to make my big break. “Since the trig class is by special arrangement, you have to set up your schedule with Mr. Alesci. He’s down the hallway in room twenty-one. So go do that and then you’re free.”
She gives me this motherly smile and I wonder how much Bowman told her about me. It’s not like I give a shit if people know my sister was a loser who OD’d. I just hate the idea that people are discussing me. It feels like an invasion of privacy.
A crack of thunder scares the both of us and we jump, looking at each other with wide eyes.