Chapter 13: Portia

All I had thought about was getting out of the house, escaping the crash before it happened. I couldn't deal with what had gone on with Chet, then Jude, and following that, Hensley and Ernie. I'd sent Jet a text last night to ask her to pick me up this morning, but she'd gone home at the last minute and wasn't around. Bart was the only other person I considered, and he'd surprised me when he didn't hesitate. It was a little over an hour's drive each way, and gas was a precious commodity to college students.

Bart showed up this morning at nine sharp. It was a safe bet Jude wouldn't be awake, but Ernie and Hensley would. That enabled me to tell them goodbye and pretend there was something fantastic going on at school that I didn't want to miss. I'd played the dutiful daughter. I came home, I talked to Jude and tried to reason with him-I'd even reported back on how that had gone...sort of-and I'd listened to my parents give me the most crushing news I ever could have received. Through i