He’s poisoning my life. Even as I’m sitting at my lessons, or hanging out with the guys during the breaks, or eating my lunch, or driving to the baseball practice, there’s just constantly that underlying feeling of something wrong. Knowing that Raven is at home and up to who knows what new mischief is nagging at me.I guess it’s the lack of control that gets to me so badly. Not having nearly as much influence over my life as I thought I had.I’ve got to find some way to convince Catherine to get rid of him.Even coach Williams notices something’s amiss.“Are you all right?” he says. “You seem distracted.”“I’m fine,” I say, but then, surprising myself, add, “No, actually, I don’t feel so well.”“Oh?” He frowns, then reaches out and touches my forehead in a surprisingly parent

   It takes him a good quarter of an hour to wash his face. I wait patiently, sitting on the floor, tracing my fingers mindlessly on the rough surface of the carpet. Judging by the muffled sound of the window opening and closing, Raven is considering alternative escape routes. Yet there’s no way he could squeeze out through the little bathroom window, so he will have to use the door.My mind is stuck in a loop, trying to figure out what has just happened and what’s going to happen next. If Raven reports me, I’ll be in trouble. I probably won’t go to jail, since it’s my first offence, and I haven’t cut him for real, but they will give me a hard time. Could having a criminal record affect my chances to become a baseball player? Have I just thrown my dream away because of one mistake?I shake my head. He won’t report me. Doing that would uncover his own dirty secrets, which will send him to a therapy ho

   It takes him a good quarter of an hour to wash his face. I wait patiently, sitting on the floor, tracing my fingers mindlessly on the rough surface of the carpet. Judging by the muffled sound of the window opening and closing, Raven is considering alternative escape routes. Yet there’s no way he could squeeze out through the little bathroom window, so he will have to use the door.My mind is stuck in a loop, trying to figure out what has just happened and what’s going to happen next. If Raven reports me, I’ll be in trouble. I probably won’t go to jail, since it’s my first offence, and I haven’t cut him for real, but they will give me a hard time. Could having a criminal record affect my chances to become a baseball player? Have I just thrown my dream away because of one mistake?I shake my head. He won’t report me. Doing that would uncover his own dirty secrets, which will send him to a therapy ho

    All right guys, what is it?”Catherine’s eyes shift from me to Raven as we sit opposite her by the kitchen table, picking at our vegetables and the oven fries. As little as the two of us usually communicate, today’s silence is probably too heavy for her to miss.“Come on, did you fight?” She puts her elbows on the table and props her chin on one hand, peering at our faces.I concentrate on my plate. Somehow, it feels like this is Raven’s question to answer. The two of us haven’t really talked about what has happened, since there was barely enough time for him to get dressed and make himself presentable before Catherine got home, and I had to dispose of the bloodied towel and the rest of the evidence of our tumultuous afternoon. Frankly, I do not know where he will take this. Will he tell her what I did? But then he’ll have to tell what he did as well.“James?” she says

  Catherine’s not in her room, so I go downstairs to look for her. As childish as it may sound, wishing her good night has been my habit for far too long to give up on it now. I move silently, unwilling to disturb the quiet of the dark house, interrupted only by the occasional dripping of water in the kitchen.Raven must be asleep already, too. Lately, he’s been going to bed early.I find Catherine on the sofa in the living room, her eyes closed, probably lulled to sleep by the table clock ticking nearby. I stop next to her, considering if I should wake her up or just cover her with some blanket. From where I stand, I can see a corner of the kitchen counter with the dishes drying on the rack.“I told you.”I look down and find her smiling at me sleepily.“I told you he would eventually do his chores.”“Yeah, right.” I roll my eyes. “Won’t