Page 13 of I Knew You Were Trouble

“From us, probably.”

I grit my teeth and hold back the burst of anger rippling through my chest. Maddie isn’t the one I want to direct it to. But seriously, a random drug test got him. He needs to stop it with this shit and take care of his family.

“I got Christmas for her,” I say, my mind scrambling for some idea to give my baby sister a good holiday. “Invite her over to spend the night. I’m sure Mom and Dad will be okay with it.”

Maddie nods, her eyes unfocused on the helmet in her lap. She’s got the competition to focus on—I need to carry a bit more of the responsibility than Christmas.

“I’ll ask for extra hours. We’re packed and lots of people don’t feel like working during winter break. I’m sure I can get some more shifts.”

“Okay.” She nods again, her eyes still unfocused. I know the look—she’s thinking of whether or not to bail them out again.

“Hey,” I say, tapping on her helmet to get her attention. Her eyes drift slowly up to meet mine. “We give them a month. He’s gotta clean up, though. Look for jobs. Hehasto be able to pass a drug test.”

“And if he doesn’t?” she says, frustration leaking into every syllable. I get it. I’m skeptical, too.

“I say we ask Demi to move in. We’re taking care of her already, aren’t we?”

She runs a hand over her face, messing up her eyebrows. She rubs her temples with her thumb and middle finger. “Who’s gonna take her to school, Pete?”

“I can.”

“On your motorcycle.”

“Sure.”

“In the winter.”

“I’ll get her a really good coat.”

She lets out a laugh that turns quickly into a groan, and now it’s her turn for her face to meet the cushion. “I just don’t know what’s the right thing.”

I pat her head and let her breathe through it. We’ve been here enough with our parents to know how to deal, but this one’s pretty damn rough.

“Your hair’s really gross,” I say, tickling her slightly behind the ear.

“Yeah…”

“Kinda stinks.”

“That’s your upper lip.”

I pinch her earlobe, and she skirts away. When she rises, there’s a small smile in the corner of her mouth. It’s a hopeless smile, but a smile nonetheless.

“We’ll figure out the right thing,” I tell her, even though I’m not sure if I believe it myself.

“We’re kinda awesome like that,” she agrees with the same lack of enthusiasm. She blows out a breath and pushes her helmet back into place.

Boom!

The break room door flies open, and I jump out of my skin. Maddie legit lets out an “oh!”

“Pete?” Candace’s voice comes from near the time clock just out of view.

“Present,” I call back. She storms farther into the room, her eyes dead locked on me. Her red-brown hair is frizzed from her hat, which is hooked onto her belt loop. Her Troublemaker polo has one side of the collar popped and the other lying flat against her shoulder. Her chest heaves up and down, like she bolted the entire way from the kiddie rides to here.

“Teach me how to be bad.”

Candace

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