Chapter 3

When I woke up, something warm touched my hand.

I forced my eyes open. Outside the balcony bars, Rusty was licking my hand where it hung down.

He kept licking, like he knew I was burning up.

I reached over and touched his head. My voice came out rough. "Rusty... did you come to take me home?"

He barked.

Grandpa didn't leave much.

Just me. And Rusty.

He was a mutt from back home. My only friend.

I didn't know how he found me here, but I knew why he came. To take me home.

Footsteps came. I rushed him off.

Dad stormed in, face twisted. He yanked me up. "You're awake? Then get up. You've got the nerve to steal, don't play dead!"

He stood there, hands on his hips, and told me to go work. I had to earn double the class money back.

My throat burned. "I didn't take it. Nina did."

He froze for a second, then dragged me to the door. "You still lying? Talia Tayler, you know how disappointed I am?"

I grabbed the doorframe and held on. He slapped me hard.

My ears rang. I heard Nina's voice. "Talia, why is there a hole in the back of your uniform?"

Mom looked and screamed. "Talia, you're going out like that?"

I stumbled to the mirror. The back of my uniform was ripped open from hauling cement.

Nina spoke soft. "Talia, be careful. Ms. Anderson already warned us. They're cracking down on cut uniforms. I heard girls who do that mess around with guys outside school... some even get pregnant."

Dad shoved me down. "Shameless girl! No wonder you've been acting up. So that's what you're thinking about."

He kicked me.

Nina stepped in, acting nice. "Dad, don't hit her anymore. Just let her change."

Maybe it was my swollen face. He backed off and let me go.

My "closet" was just a ripped plastic bag. The clothes inside were even worse.

Nina smiled. "You can borrow my jacket."

Mom hesitated. "But it's almost a hundred degrees. She'll overheat."

Dad cut her off. "Good. Maybe she'll learn."

He wrapped me up like a cotton ball and sent me out to the burning construction site.

People stared at me like I'd lost it.

After they left, a worker leaned in and told me I could take the jacket off.

I shook my head, dizzy. "I can't. My dad might come back. If he sees, he'll beat me to death."

The sun felt like it was melting me. The cement sacks crushed my shoulders. Pain stabbed through my thigh.

My leg kept getting worse. I tasted blood in my throat.

On break, I pulled out Grandpa's wrinkled photo. Tears blurred everything. "Grandpa, I'll see you soon. Wait for me."