Page 24 of Ruled Out

The bent wheels on my bike rotated more slowly the closer I got to home. I didn’t want to go back, and I wouldn’t ever if it wasn’t for my mom. She needed me to help her to bed each night, but lately, I had been more there to stop the beatings from Dad.

Last night, I’d stepped in front of one of his hardest punches yet. My ribs ached real bad from that, but I tried not to let it show.

He was smart. He only ever took his anger out in places where we could cover the bruises.

There was a Wendy’s across the road from our street, and I was hungry.

While I had been at my friend’s house tonight, his mom had offered me dinner, but I had been too proud to accept, even though I was losing weight.

I pulled a couple of cents out of my pants pocket, nowhere near enough to cover a burger or fries. But that didn’t stop me from crossing the street and heading toward the drive-through.

I’d done this a couple of times and risked being caught on security cameras each time. But I figured,What the hell? They can lock me up and fucking feed me at the same time.

I pulled my hood up and over my head; it hung low enough to hide my identity. And I waited at the back of the dark parking lot. The restaurant wasn’t busy, but when a car finally pulled up to place an order, I knew that was my chance.

Sometimes, I couldn’t pull it off because they parked too close to the serving hatch. But the woman driving had overshot it. She was in a brand-new Mercedes, which stood out in this part of town. I was sure she had a few more dollars to replace her meal.

As she placed her order, my legs trembled as I pushed on my pedals and edged toward the back of the car, still camouflaged by the darkness.

It was now or never. My chance to eat or go another night hungry.

Whatever was at home, I wasn’t going to get a chance at. The only thing waiting for me was a beating, and my best shot at defending myself was to keep growing so that one day, I’d have a chance at knocking the fucker out.

Twelve-year-old Jessie stood no chance.

But sixteen-year-old Jessie might. And I couldn’t wait for the day I could give it back to him.

Handing over the cash, the woman waited for her meal.

I knew the server could see me if they looked to the side, but I had to take my chances, and so I edged even closer, the bright lights from the drive-through stinging my eyes.

“Okay, here we are. I have a cheeseburger, fries, and a strawberry sh?—”

I took off just as the server leaned out the window with the food, snatching it as I raced past the window. My heart thumped wildly in my chest; pure adrenaline raced through my body.

“Hey, what the hell?!” the server shouted after me, but it was too late.

I was gone, taking a right along the sidewalk and back into the safety of the night.

When I found a playing field, I pulled behind a row of trees and dropped my bike down out of sight.

I’d done it. I’d pulled it off.

Tonight, I’d get to eat.

I’d thoughttonight was my lucky night.

Hot food and no one around when I got home.

That was how I liked it.

Even my mom wasn’t on the couch when I walked in the front door.

Maybe she’d not drunk as much tonight. Maybe she was turning a corner.

Hope bloomed in my chest as I made my way to the kitchen and filled a glass with water.

The house was fucking freezing, and I shivered when the ice-cold liquid ran down my throat.