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Time to retreat.

As soon as Mom pulled out of the driveway, I climbed out my bedroom window. With the knowledge that Barry possessed a key to my room, I wasn’t going to stick around any longer than I had to.

Prepared this time, I bundled up, packing a book bag full of necessities: homework, clothes, snacks. I didn’t think twice, but hiked straight to Ryder’s house.

Transitioning from twilight to dark, the evening held an ethereal yet frightening beauty. The bare limbs of leafless trees threw creepy shadows that had me glancing over my shoulder every few steps to make sure the dentist hadn’t followed me. Strange how I hadn’t noticed any of the eerie splendor the first time I’d made this trek. Guess I had been too busy running for my life.

Using the shadows, I entered the Yates’ yard and slipped my way to Ryder’s bedroom window. The lights were on this time, which made me sigh in relief. I tapped quietly, then stepped back to wait.

Seconds later, the blinds ripped up and a bruised and battered Ryder stared out through the pane glass. My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe I’d completely forgotten about his fight. I’d come here, selfishly thinking he’d be willing to help me when all this time he’d had his own issues tormenting him.

But instead of shooing me away, he opened the window and held out a hand to help me in. He didn’t smile and I didn’t smile in return. Silently, I handed him my book bag, which he pulled inside before reaching out again.

Once I’d gained entrance, we just stared at each other as if we were the sole survivors of a tragedy.

I wanted to ask him how he felt but the answer seemed obvious. He looked awful with a cut on his bottom lip and his knuckles bandaged as if he were apprenticing to be a mummy. The left side of his face remained slightly swollen and had already bruised.

Shifting uneasily, I gushed out the explanation. “My mom had to go into work for a few hours, but she’ll get off at one, so I figure I’ll start home at twelve thirty.”

Ryder didn’t bother to ask questions; he just said, “I’ll drive you.”

“You don’t have to—” I started, only to shy back from the scowl he sent me. With a cautious smile, I croaked, “Thank you.”

He nodded and slid the un-bandaged ends of his hands into his back pockets as he glanced around the room, looking uncertain of what to do now.

I looked about me too, feeling a similar awkwardness until I realized his room seemed different from the last time I was here. More…bare. Scrunching up my face, I finally noticed the lack of a television in his entertainment center along with all his games gone as well.

Swerving my head around, I glanced up to find his computer missing.

“Where’s your…stuff?” Had someone robbed him?

“My dad took it. Television, phone, computer—pretty much everything. For three weeks.”

“You’re grounded?”

He nodded and plopped down on his bed to stare up at the ceiling.

Wrapping my hands around my waist, I backed toward the window. “I shouldn’t be here then.”

Ryder snorted and sent me a funny look. “Right. Like you would be allowed to stay the night if I wasn’t grounded?”

He had a point. I glanced away.

With a sigh, he sat up and rubbed at his jaw, wincing.

“Does it hurt?” I asked.

Ryder looked up, but a knock sounded on his bedroom door before he could answer.

“Ryder?” a woman’s muffled voice spoke from the other side.

Eyes going wide, Ryder grabbed my arm and yanked me toward another door. “Quick,” he hissed. “Hide in the bathroom.”

I stumbled inside, glancing over my shoulder in time to see the other door beginning to open. I leapt the last couple of inches, and slapped my hands over my mouth to keep from breathing too loudly.

“I brought you some more painkillers,” the woman said, coming into Ryder’s room. I glanced through the crack in the door to see his mom—a tall, slim woman with the same color hair as Ryder’s—holding up a cup of water and a pill bottle. “Give me your hand.”

Ryder obeyed, sticking out his fingers, palm up. After his mother dribbled out a couple pills, Ryder asked, “Can I have another?”