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a clean coolness in the air. Rene sat alone on the bleachers at lunchtime, staring over the empty football field. Other kids sat higher up or farther down, but Cassie was going to be late and Lara was a no-show. Their conversation had bothered Rene all morning, and now that she didn’t have the distraction of teachers and classmates, Rene found herself running their chat over in her head. She should have tried harder to show Lara exactly how bad dating Hunter was. Bad for her head and her heart. Bad for her reputation. But it was futile. Lara did what Lara wanted to do.
    Mason appeared on the far side of the field, walking across the concrete at the base of the visitors’ bleachers. Rene hadn’t seen him since Tuesday morning, and she’d thought he was out sick. His shoulders were slumped, and his steps were slow and seemed pained. He took one step up the stairs and then paused. His hand went to his back, and he leaned forward like an old man. He looked left and right, like he was totally confused, and then he climbed several more steps, hand still on his back. At the first landing, he stopped and sat down clumsily, facing away fromRene. Facing the wrong direction.
    Mason’s obvious confusion and pain tore a line of sympathy across Rene’s chest.
    He shouldn’t be at school , she thought. And he shouldn’t be in that house .
    Even though Mason’s aunt Molly owned the house, Rene knew that Gene ran it. Molly was a sweet woman who was way too meek to manage a creep like Gene, and Rene couldn’t think of a more terrible place for Mason. He should be someplace where people appreciated him.
    Sadly, Rene knew, there was no such place. The world wasn’t built for people like Mason.
    â€œAfternoon, darlin’,” Cassie said just as her shadow fell over Rene.
    â€œHey,” she replied. “What did Mr. Chambers want?”
    â€œWhy, he wanted to marry me so that I could carry his children.”
    â€œDid he want anything that wasn’t illegal?”
    â€œIt was just a student-teacher meeting,” Cassie said, taking her seat on the bench next to Rene. “As you know, I’m brilliant. He just wanted to let me know it hadn’t gone unnoticed. What are you doing?”
    â€œLunch,” Rene said simply, unsure if she should discuss Lara’s recent exhibition of bad taste or not.
    â€œWell, you look like your mama packed a tongue sandwich in that bag.”
    Rene smiled and shook her head. “Nothing that gross.”
    â€œI heard you talked to our girl, Lara, about her wholly questionable association with Hunter. I understand it was a total waste of breath.”
    â€œIt was. Did Lara tell you?”
    â€œYes. Third period. She was oh-so-thrilled to tell me about her encounter with Hunter last night, and her subsequent grounding.”
    â€œShe’s grounded?” Rene asked, feeling betrayed. “She told me she just had a curfew.”
    â€œIndeed,” replied Cassie. “I dare say, our sweet Lara is growing into one shady woman. She’s making us all look bad. She might as well go all the way into Scaryville and hook up with that lunatic Gene Avrett.”
    â€œDon’t even say that,” Rene said.
    â€œI see his little brother is still at the peak of together.” Cassie nodded her head toward Mason, sitting on the bleachers.
    It’s like he doesn’t want to be seen , Rene thought, gazing at Mason’s wide back. “Why do you have to pick on him?”
    â€œSorry. That whole family is just scary.”
    â€œHe’s a nice boy,” Rene countered. “You shouldn’t slam him just because he doesn’t fit into your cotillion fantasy.”
    â€œOn one hand, I completely agree with you,” Cassiesaid coolly. “On the other hand…ewww!”
    â€œWhatever.”
    â€œWe all know the way the world should be,” Cassie continued. “We also know it’s a total