s young face etched with w

mbered was Kevin, stepped forward. He was built like a football pl

om' s a psycho. Guess that mak

. "Shut up. Don' t

evin taunted, shoving

evin right back. It wasn't as powerful, but it was defiant. In the next

rowd

lite shrieked, her p

led the boys apart, but his actions were complete

Mark' s voice was full of concern. He ch

ho was getting up slowly, a tric

son. "Tom! A

blood. "I' m fine, Mom." But his eyes were fixed on his f

d a silk handkerchief from his pocket and d

in that soft, gentle voice he used to use on me. "We'

face. It was so cruel, so public. I could feel

your other son, Mark? The one who is actually

was cold, impatient. "He' s a teenage boy. He'

I yelled. "Your... his

mpletely. He turned his back on us and put a comforting arm around

just walk away. I followed

k about the scho

ng, suffering sound, as if I were the biggest burden

to talk about. The

already knew the answer. The cold dread

"But Kevin has a real shot at going pro. This scholarship, the connections

ecause his mother is wealthy and kno

. "It' s about looking at the big picture,

and this woman, a young widow named Jessica, had first become... friends. He told me her husba

ad felt sorry for her

e times, during what felt like our own private famine, that I made soup from vegetable scraps and foraged for wild greens in the park

struggles as a sob story to get her sympathy. He was complaining to her about his tired, stres

and her as the saint, all while

me to sacrifice my s

ng. "You' re just taking it from him? His o

Mark said flatly. "It' s not the

is jaw tight. He was clearly worried about t

in the car, go home, and pack your things. I want you both back in your old town by tomorrow morni

l, dead-end town we came from so he could live his

way like garbage. Ju