Read We Were Here for Free Online Page B

not gonna lie, I had to read the first page over and over again to know what the hell the writer was even saying, ’cause she doesn’t use regular English in her book. She uses black talk like I used to hear at my school back in Stockton. Ebonics. Like Demarcus and Reggie. Only a back-in-the-day version. It’s actually pretty cool how she does it. Once you catch the rhythm, I mean.
    By the way, I decided what I like about reading books. When I’m following what a character does in a book I don’t have to think about my own life. Where I am. Why I’m here. My moms and my brother and my old man. I can just thinkabout the character’s life and try and figure out what’s gonna happen. Plus when you’re in a group home you pretty much can’t go anywhere, right? But when you read books you almost feel like you’re out there in the world. Like you’re going on this adventure right with the main character. At least, that’s the way I do it.
    It’s actually not that bad.
    Even if it is mad nerdy.
    So here’s what I decided I’m gonna do. I’m gonna try and read every single book they got on the bookshelf in the game room. Jaden told me that’s what Malcolm X did when he was in prison. He just learned as much as he could, starting with all the words in the dictionary, ’cause he couldn’t go anywhere anyway so why not take advantage of his time.
    Anyways, that’s what I decided today after lunch. I’m gonna read every single book they got in the place. Even if it’s something that doesn’t seem like I’d like it that much. And by the time I’m done reading all the books my year will probably be up, and they’ll let my ass out, and when I walk through them front doors I won’t just be a free man. I’ll also be smart as goddamn hell.
    See what I’m sayin’?

June 28
    They made me call home today.
    The first two Sundays I was here, Jenny (the house counselor) and Jaden said I didn’t have to do it because I was new and still adjusting to a different environment. But today they made me. Jaden even had me go first. They both sat with me and explained how Sundays are phone-call days. Everybody has to call somebody. If you don’t have parents you have tocall your grandparents or your foster parents or some relative or family friend.
    I’m not gonna lie, I felt pretty weird thinking about calling my house back in Stockton. I didn’t know what I was gonna say or if my moms would even wanna talk to me. Actually, I was pretty sure she didn’t. But Jaden and Jenny were staring at me, so I dialed the number and sat there listening to it ring, wishing I could just hang up. My hand actually started shaking, and when Jenny saw it she patted my shoulder. Which was nice except I don’t really like it when people touch me. I always hold my breath until they stop.
    And then I heard the machine pick up, and Diego’s voice came on telling people to leave a message. And I swear to God, man. I almost lost it. My head got all dizzy and I felt like I was gonna faint or some shit. I hadn’t heard Diego’s voice in forever. My big bro, man. “Peoples, we’re not home right now. Leave a message at the …” My moms laughing in the background and then the beep sounding. Those stupid, simple words, man. That beep. It made me almost wanna cry ’cause I miss ’em so much. Peoples, we’re not home right now. Leave a message at the … I tensed up all my muscles and kept everything super still and looked at the same spot on the wall, trying to make out what shape it was: a tiny person diving off a cliff, a boomerang, a cocoon.
    I handed the phone back to Jaden, told ’im: “Nobody’s home.”
    Jaden and Jenny looked at each other and nodded and then let me leave the office, saying we’d try again next week.
    But just hearing my bro’s voice on the answering machine, man. Thinking about my moms sitting there listening to it ’cause she probably just didn’t want to talk to nobody. Tears going down her face. Or even