The school year was about to start, and Ethan informed me that we were in the same grade. The fact that I remained cool when he informed me of this glorious news had me skipping around my room the second he left. He told me that due to his brother’s disability, he felt more comfortable being placed in the same grade as Charlie. He said that’s what his mother made him tell anyone that asked. The truth was he had gotten in a few fights in and out of school that made him miss too many days. Therefore, the school board had no other option then to keep him back a year. When he noticed that I winced about him fighting he said it was his way of watching out for his younger brother. No one messed with Charlie because they knew Ethan was a loose cannon.

It was the first time in forever that I had a friend to go to school with and a boy that spends night after night in my room. Instead of being dropped off at school, I begged my mother to let me ride the bus. I might have also notified her that our new neighbors had a son who was also in my class and we could ride the bus together. My mother was hesitant. The bus stop was a few blocks away, and she didn’t want me to walk out of fear I might fall and hurt myself. Ballerinas needed to be perfect. But my father heard my pleading and assured her I would be fine. He said having friends my own age was important and he offered to talk to our neighbors about a drop off and pick up bus schedule. Though unconvinced, my mother allowed it. And I, a ten year old, love-struck pre-teen, was thrilled.

It was the second week of school, and Ethan and I were inseparable. He quickly memorized my schedule and walked me to almost every class. At lunchtime we sat together, talking about everything and anything while eating. I was mesmerized by his charm. The way he smiled, and the way his eyes lit up when he was talking about something he was passionate about. He made friends with everyone so easily. Most of the girls I knew from dance, the ones who never cared to be my friend, quickly decided I was worth something now that Ethan was my friend. I couldn’t fault them. He was gorgeous and his personality shone. So, for the first time in my life, I was somewhat popular—thanks to Ethan.

One afternoon after we got off the bus, Ethan decided he wanted to race home. Running wasn’t my forte. I could hold a plank for five minutes but I couldn’t jog five steps to save my life.

“Hey, wait up!” I shouted to Ethan who was a few feet ahead. My tennis shoes pushed on the cement as I chased behind him.

“Come on, slow poke.” Ethan ran backwards with ease. His mother trailed behind us with Charlie as we walked home from the bus stop.

Ethan ran up the pathway that led into his father’s garage. Joyce, Ethan’s mother, didn’t protest so I followed behind him, my book bag slamming on my lower back with each step I took. My heart felt as if it would explode from the strain of running, and the bright sun made it nearly impossible to see in the garage. “Eth—”

“Shh.” I heard his voice. “Come here.”

I noticed him squatting behind his father’s Harley. “What are you doing?” I whispered and crouched down beside him.

“Nothing, but we can’t leave now. My father just walked in.” He shifted and I noticed his father among a sea of men. Six in total if you counted his father. Unable to swallow over my fear, I clenched my arm around Ethan. There was something terrifying about his father’s demeanor. His shoulders were broad, and his face permanently held a scowl. But my fear wasn’t due to his looks. No, it was because I knew the kind of man he truly was. He was an abuser.

“Where’s my money, Joey?” Jerry, Ethan’s father asked. His voice caused goosebumps to rise all over my body.

“I’ll get it to you, Jaws,” Joey responded in a low shaky voice.

The hair on the back of my neck rose with fear. What kind of man was given the nickname Jaws?

“You’ll get it? When? And where? Do you have a hundred grand laying around?” Jerry took a step closer to Joey, his finger pointed in his face. “You’re a fucking liar. Maybe I should pay that little wife of yours a visit. I’d say her pussy’s worth a couple of bucks.” I cringed the at the harsh words and instantly felt embarrassed.

Joey took a step forward. What Jerry said clearly struck a nerve. Two of the men reached out and grabbed Joey’s arms. “I’ll get it to you, I swear. Just stay away from my family.”

“Getting it to me is not the same as having it.” Jerry said through gritted teeth.

My eyes had adjusted to the dim garage, and I could finally make out the features on his face. He looked a lot like Ethan. The same dark hair and defined jaw, but he was missing the warmth Ethan portrayed.

“And you don’t tell me what to do,” Jerry stated. The garage was so quiet, the first blow to Joey’s face echoed in the silent space. My eyes closed shut of their own accord and I swear I heard the crushing of Joey’s bones. I pried my eyes open, trying desperately to find a way out of there with no luck. Jerry continued to release his rage on Joey. His fists pounded into his face as blood splattered to the ground. My eyes refused to believe what I was seeing.

Joey’s bloody face wasn’t enough for Jerry. He moved to his tool box and pulled out a crowbar. “I’ve given you six months to pay me back. You know what happens when you don’t pay your bookie? You rot in the fucking desert!” he bellowed and swung the crowbar at Joey’s leg.

Anger ricocheted from Jerry's voice, and I gasped when Joey screamed out in pain. Ethan gripped my body and covered my mouth. “Shh,” he whispered in my ear, and my body began to shake. What kind of monster was his father?

One of Jerry’s goons shoved a dirty rag in Joey’s mouth as Jerry continued his assault. Blood dripped down Joey’s face and his legs were badly broken, but Jerry didn’t let up until Joey’s head hung low and he didn’t move.

“Get rid of him.” His voice was authoritative even when he was out of breath.

My body was frozen in place and a chill ran up my spine. Get rid of him? As in kill him?

“Okay, Boss,” the man holding Joey’s limp body responded.

A tap on the door startled us all. It came from the door that connected the garage with Ethan’s home. Tears threatened to pour from my eyes. The guys rushed to cover Joey’s body and stood behind Jerry, who was wiping his bloody hands.

Joyce appeared in the open doorway, her gaze focused on the ground. “What?” Jerry barked.

“Have you seen Ethan and his little friend from next door?”

I began to tremble. What would he do if he found us?

Jerry lifted his arms. “They’re not here. Ethan knows not to come into my office.” He marched over to her and pressed his pointer finger to her forehead. There was still blood on it. “Why can’t you ever do one fucking thing right? All I ask for is food on the table, my boys taken care of, and my dick sucked. Get the fuck out of my face.”

The guys behind him chuckled.

“I’m . . . I’m sorry,” Joyce stuttered, turning away and closing the door behind her.

“What the fuck are you assholes laughing at? Get him out of here!”

To keep from passing out, I counted the seconds it took for them to leave. One hundred and sixty-seven to be exact.

When the garage door closed behind them, I gasped for air. Pulling away from Ethan, I ran out the back door with everything I had left in me. Why had he gone inside his dad’s garage? Why did I follow him? The second the warm air hit my skin, the contents of my stomach erupted onto the grass. Ethan was behind me but I refused to look at him. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and ran up the deck and inside my house. The air-conditioning tingled my skin as I pressed my body against the cool glass. My legs were shaking.

My mother appeared from the kitchen. Her mouth moved but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. My heart racing in my chest made it impossible to hear a sound “Leslie!” I blinked away tears. “My goodness, what’s the matter?”

My knees buckled and I dropped to the floor. My breathing was erratic and my mother rushed to my side. “Leslie, talk to me!” Darlene pleaded as she brushed my hair to the side. She took me into her arms and I sobbed.

“It’s okay, sweetie. It’s okay.” Her voice soothed me. When the sobbing stopped, she pulled me away from her chest. “Tell me what’s going on?”

I swallowed back the golf ball lodged in my throat. I should have told my mother everything, but I knew she would take Ethan away from me. She would make me stop being his friend, and a world where Ethan wasn’t my friend was a world I didn’t want to live in.

“I . . . I . . .” I paused while I tried to come up with an excuse. “I got sick on the way home from school and I don’t think I’ll be able make it to dance tonight,” I finally said.

“It’s okay. You will be okay.” She gave me a reassuring smile. “Why don’t you take a nice warm shower and I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”

“I’m not really hungry.”

“Okay.” She brushed my hair with her fingers. “Take a shower and go lie down. I’ll leave your food in the fridge. If you get hungry, you can warm it up.”

In the shower, I let the warm water cascade down my body as the images of Jerry’s brutality flooded my mind. He was a cruel monster, and I couldn’t stop wondering what happened to Joey. Was he dead when they took him out of there? Did they kill him?

I pushed the visions out of my head and dressed before crawling into bed. I had been in my room for an hour, the comforter curled around me, unable to move from my spot. My only solace was the brilliant red and orange hues of the sunset I could see through my window. Though it was a warm afternoon, I felt an Artic chill through my bones.

Ethan tapped on my window, but I didn’t move to open it for him. I couldn’t move. Joey and his fate consumed my mind. Ethan waited a few seconds before he pushed the glass pane open and climbed inside.

“Hey,” he whispered. Tears filled my eyes and I lowered my chin. “Please, Freckles.” He rushed to my side and draped his arms over my shoulders. Pulling me into his chest, he whispered. “Please don’t cry.”

“I’m sorry,” I muttered as I let him hold me. “I didn’t know your father was such a cruel man.”

“I’m sorry,” Ethan apologized. “I should’ve never gone in there. I wanted to show you his Harley. I didn’t know he was home. He’s never there during the day.”

“Don’t apologize for him. We need to tell someone, Ethan.” I pushed away from his chest. My body craved his touch but anger began to fill me.

“You can’t say anything.” Ethan’s eyes were wide.

“But—”

“You can't, Les!” he pleaded. His hands rested on my shoulders and I saw the pain in his eyes.

“He hurt him.” I shook my head. “He told them to get rid of him.”

“Leslie, if you tell a soul, he will kill me.” His words were like the stab of a knife, deep in my heart. “And then he will kill my mother. And Charlie.”

“But we can't let him get away with it.” I didn’t want Jerry to hurt Ethan or his family, but he needed to pay for what he did.

“What choice do we have?”  Ethan released my shoulders and ran his hands through his hair.

“We can go to the cops,” I suggested.

He rested his elbows on his knees. His eyes were glued to the sun like mine had been earlier. He too felt defeated. Shaking his head, he looked over at me. “We can't. My father owns them.”

“So we don't say anything?” I asked, my eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

Ethan sighed in defeat. “No, not ever.”

“Ethan, I don’t know—”

“You can’t say anything, Les. Please!” His eyes looked deep into mine, pleading with me. I didn’t want to ruin the friendship I had made with Ethan. And the last thing I wanted was for Jerry to hurt him.

“Okay.” I nodded.

He reached across the bed and grabbed my hand. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

It was a simple sentence that forever bound us.