Page 11

"Oh Roy, don't make more trouble?'

"That's what I'm afraid's going to happen if I don't know everything. You don't lie to me, Rain. We always tell each other the truth," he said softly. His eyes lingered on my face. They were soft, loving, pleading.

"Beni let her friends talk her into going to Oh Henry's," I revealed. "I went along to be sure she'd be all right, only it was me who got into a situation." "What situation?"

"Someone named Jerad forced himself on me, had his friends surround me and then he kissed me."

I didn't want to tell him all of it. I could see just being kissed was enough.

"Then what happened?"

"I ran out and Beni followed and we came home. That's the whole thing. It won't happen again. I promise, Roy. We'll never go back to that place."

"Jerad Davis?"

"Yes," I said.

"He's killed people, Rain," Roy said.

My heart was thumping so hard, I had to take a breath.

"If he ever comes near you again, I gotta know, hear?" "Yes," I said nodding.

"Beni's getting wild," he said looking toward our bedroom. "She's gonna get herself into real trouble someday. I don't want you tagging along. She'll drag you down with her."

"I can't desert her, Roy."

"Don't desert her, but if she's stubborn, don't let her drag you down:' he warned. "Promise me." He reached out and took my hand. "Promise, Rain."

"I promise, Roy," I said. His eyes softened again. "Good," he said. "You're too good for this place, Rain. I've got to get you out of here someday."

"We all have to get out, Roy."

"Sure," he said. He stared hard at me and I tilted my head in confusion. He blinked a few times, then pulled himself up. "Go do your homework," he said like an older brother, "and don't keep any secrets again."

I smiled at him and then I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

He was still standing in the doorway looking after me when I reached the bedroom door and looked back. His look stirred that little butterfly in my heart, the one that rang alarm bells when boys fixed their eyes on me in the hallways and in the streets. Maybe Roy felt my butterfly's wings too, because he turned away quickly and disappeared.

Confusion, like static on the radio, jumbled my thoughts. I rushed into the sanctuary of my

schoolwork, grateful for the distractions to help me forget the day.

2

Through Thick & Thin

.

Neither Beth nor I knew it, but after I had told

Roy what had happened at Oh Henry's, he got Slim to let him come into work later every day just so he could secretly keep an eye on us when we walked home from school. Apparently, he was always trailing behind us, staying out of sight. He had to promise Slim he would work an extra hour every Saturday for nothing in order to do it, but I didn't learn about that until much later.

Beth continued her flirtation with Carlton Thomas, who was always after her to return to Oh Henry's. We had a big argument about it the following week. She was sullen every day all the way home because I had refused to go along with her return to Oh Henry's. She didn't care if I accompanied her, but I made it clear I wasn't going to lie for her and hide the fact that she was going there if either Mama or Roy asked. I had to tell her that Roy knew about the first time.

"Why did you tell him anything?" she demanded.

"He knew something was wrong, Beni. You know how Roy is. He wouldn't have given up until he found out anyway, maybe from someone else, and then he would have been even angrier," I explained.