In My Head

Grounded ~ Kaden

We reach the bend in the street near my house. Finally. I can't wait to get out of these freezing wet clothes. Logan's in the driveway, and so are both of the cars. Crap, Mom and Dad are home.

"Hey, is that a basketball hoop?" Jake says.

Now that he said that, I notice a new hoop in the driveway. Logan shoots a basket. His ball bounces off the rim and heads for the street. He runs after it, and then he sees us coming down the last stretch of sidewalk to the driveway.

Logan's eyes go big. "Are you wet?"

"Don't ask," I say.

"Holy crap, what happened?"

"I said, don't ask," I repeat.

"Kaden's ball went in the river, so he, uh, went swimming." Jake shrugs.

"Then why are you wet?" Logan asks.

Jake shakes his head and stares at the ground.

Logan turns around and runs for the house. He's going to tell on me.

"Wait! WAIT!" I run after him, get a hold of his arm, and pull him back.

Logan stumbles around and nearly falls over. "Get off of me!" He grabs my arm with his other hand and pushes me.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Mom and Dad are standing in the doorway.

"Now look what you did," I say under my breath.

Mom rushes over and puts one hand on my shoulder and the other on Logan's, but then she makes a face and turns back to me. "Kaden, what on earth?"

I stare down.

"Why are you wet?" she demands.

"Wet?" Dad asks. "Kaden, were you swimming in the river?"

I shrug at the ground.

"What in god's name were you thinking?!" Mom shakes my shoulders. "You can't just go swimming in the river all by yourself. You could have drowned!"

I bite my lip and glance over at Jake. He stares at me with big, wide eyes.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Dad asks.

I shrug.

"Well?!" Mom pushes.

"I didn't go swimming for fun. I just . . . had to get my ball back," I say.

"Get your ball back?" Mom furrows her brow at me. "How did your ball get in the river?"

"I threw it in," I say with my eyes on Mom's shoes. "But it wasn't my fault. My arms just did it all by themselves."

Mom stares down at me and shakes her head. "Grounded, for one month. Two weeks for swimming in the river by yourself and two weeks for lying about it."

"But I didn't lie! It's the truth, my arms just-"

"No arguing, or I add another week!" Mom says. "Now get inside." She looks over my shoulder. "And you!" Mom struts up to Jake. "You pick fights with Logan, and put Kaden's life in danger. I don't want to see you around here anymore."

Jake's face goes even more red than usual. He saw it happen, he knows it was an accident, he even saved my life. But he just stands there staring up at her, frozen in place. It isn't his fault, but he just shakes his head and turns away.

My best friend isn't going to stick up for me.

Everybody I know thinks I'm a liar.