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really uncomfortable during lunch, with his wife asking me questions about what I was going to do after graduation—like I had plans. My plans usuallyrevolved around just getting through the next day. I hadn’t thought much beyond that. I probably needed to. Avery no doubt had.
    When she’d stepped onto the deck and seen me, she’d looked horrified. I’d discovered that she had incredible blue eyes. A rich hue that was almost violet, circled in black. I’d never seen eyes like that before.
    Although at that particular moment I’d wished I was anywhere other than where I was. I’d wished I wasn’t sporting bruises. I’d wished her folks had told her I’d be there before she’d spotted me.
    Now I was wishing I hadn’t looked out the window when I heard a car drive up twenty minutes after we finished with lunch. I saw Avery take off with Kendall Jones. I could pretty much guess what they’d be talking about. Tomorrow at school, everyone would know I was here.
    And that made me want to leave. But I had no choice except to stay.

Chapter 5
AVERY
    I tossed the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and black olives while Mom popped a pan of rolls into the oven. “Should I go ahead and put on the salad dressing?” I asked.
    She closed the oven door and set the timer. “No, we’ll put out a variety of choices. Don’t know what Fletcher likes.”
    â€œDo you know anything about Fletcher’s dad?” I asked. I knew his mom had died a few years back, but I couldn’t recall ever meeting or even seeing his dad.
    â€œThat he’s pretty much an absent father.”
    â€œIs that why Dad brought him here?” I knew Dad would have talked things over with Mom, told her everything, before he offered Fletcher a room over the garage.
    â€œI think your dad just wanted to help him get a good start after high school,” she said.
    â€œHow did he know about him?”
    â€œCop stuff.”
    â€œDoesn’t that make you nervous?” I asked. “Having a criminal so close?” Mom gave me a stare designed to say more about judgment than words ever could. “I know—innocent until proven guilty. But he had to have done something pretty awful to come to Dad’s attention.”
    â€œPeople come to your dad’s attention for all kinds of reasons. Look at Tyler.”
    They’d found him in a closet when they raided his crack mom’s house. I knew Fletcher hadn’t been cowering in a closet. Dad had been open about Tyler’s situation. Why was he so closed about Fletcher’s? Because of his age? Because I knew him?
    â€œYou should go get him,” Mom said. “Dinner will be ready in a few.”
    I stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment as my mind shifted back to the task at hand.
    â€œFletcher,” she prodded.
    â€œOh, right.”
    Less than a minute later, I was standing at the top of the stairs that led to the FROG.
    Just because you dread doing something doesn’t make you a coward. Just because you do something you dread doesn’t make you brave. In my case, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was. What I did know was that I really didn’t wantto knock on Fletcher’s door, but since Mom had sent me to get him, I knocked.
    The door swung open. With narrowed eyes, Fletcher looked like he was about to commit murder and I would suffice very well as his next victim.
    â€œI’m busy. What do you want?” he asked pointedly.
    â€œMost people greet with a ‘Hello. It’s good to see you. Come in and visit.’” I had to admit that I wanted to go in and just get a feel for what he might have done with the place. A few years ago when my mom’s sister had lost her job, she’d needed somewhere to get back on her feet, so Mom had converted the space over the garage into a little apartment. It had a living area with a bed, a couch in front of the TV, and a desk.