Page 26 of Rebel Summer

“The judge told me if I do my hours, then it will be removed from my record. So, it will be fixed.”

“Well, how nice of the judge,” Angela’s voice rang between us. She jumped up, bumping the table as she did so. “Who wants dessert? I bought an angel food cake, and I’ve got some sliced strawberries and sugar-free whipped cream, if anybody wants some.” She didn’t wait for our answer and scampered into the kitchen. I took a bite of dry chicken and swallowed.

“Ivy. One more thing.”

My eyes left my plate of half-eaten food to meet his. For a split second, hope pierced my heart. Maybe now he’d tell me how glad he was that I hadn’t gotten hurt. How, when he heard about the crash, his first concern had been for my safety. It was pathetic, really, how even after years of therapy, I still found myself aching for the one thing I never got from him.

But like always, love was nowhere to be found.

“Not counting your DUI that I now have fighting against me, you hanging around that boy was the worst thing the judge could have done to me. We both know your history.”

That boy.

I blinked back the hot splash of emotion in my eyes. “There is no history. That was nothing. I haven’t spoken to him in ten years.”

He shrugged. “Maybe not. But I remember what I saw. And just so you don’t forget, people don’t change that much. He’s trouble. Always has been. So you remember that.”

All the words I wanted to say swirled around in my head, taunting me, but I wasn’t fast enough to catch them.

And he wasn’t finished.

Leaning across his plate, he waited until I looked at him. “I live here. Not you. Your last name is mine. I gave it to you. You’d better start earning it.”

We both startled when Angela brought our plates of fat-free cake and set them in front of us, all while humming a tune I didn’t recognize.

My dad picked up his fork and took a bite of cake, relaying one last parting shot as he did so. “You do your hours, and then get out of that shop. You hear me?” He didn’t wait for me to respond. Instead, he turned to his new bride and gave her a smile, “The cake is good. Thank you, honey.”

Case closed. Conversation over.

Message received.

Biology Class

Day 7

“I have a question for you,” I whispered to Dax, a grave look on my face. Mr. Gray’s lecture was particularly dry today, and I needed something to keep me awake.

Dax looked over at me, slouched in his chair, with his eyebrows raised in question.

I pursed my lips. “It’s important.”

He didn’t say anything, but his gaze never left mine.

“Why did…” I broke off and blew out a breath, rubbing my hands against my shorts.

I began again. “Why did?—“

His lips parted ever so slightly, and I thought I detected a hint of concern on his face, but I probably imagined it. I went in for the kill.

“Why did the DNA cross the road?”

Dax shook his head slightly before looking back to Mr. Gray.

I couldn’t contain my glee, so I didn’t try. “Any guesses?”

He refused to look at me.

I leaned closer. “To get to the other strand.”

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