Trade Mistakes

3

Over the next week or so, I noticed that people were actually noticing me. My brothers and the rest of the gang were actually starting conversations with me when I wasn't out with M&M.

I told myself it was only because they felt sorry for me. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew it was true.

"Darry, can me and my friend go to the carnival tonight?" I asked him.

"Yeah, sure. Don't be out too late and be back by ten." He said. "You need any money?"

"No, thank you." I replied, then I left.

I met M&M outside his house. He was adjusting his shirt as he walked out, then smiled when he saw me. "Hi, Liz!"

"Hey, M&M." I greeted.

"How was your day?"

I shrugged, shoving my hands in the pockets of my jacket. "Boring, I guess. How was yours?"

"I finished my book."

"Of course you did." I grinned. The carnival was close to his house, so it only too, about ten minutes to get there.

We'd gone for three years together now, and we had a specific order we liked to do it in- rides first, get some food, play some games, and ride a few more rides.

.

It was our last ride of the night at 9:30. We were on the ferris wheel. Neither of us was really saying anything.

The wheel was positioned so we were at the top. "M&M, I feel like my brothers and their friends are only bein' nice to me now 'cause they feel bad for me."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since I got jumped a week ago, it's almost like they realized I'm alive. They hardly talked to me before- I was just some kid that lived 'round there."

"They feel guilty." M&M said plainly.

"You're probably not wrong." I grumbled.

"I'm sorry about your family, Liz." M&M frowned.

I shrugged. "It's not like they're insufferable. I don't mind at home. I just wish my brothers cared about me other than when I come home late."

"Oh."

"I just want to run away sometimes. It's not like they'd care, anyway. I bet they wouldn't even notice."

"Liz, I feel like running away isn't the best idea..." M&M said hesitantly as we got off the ride.

"I'm not sayin' I will. I'm just sayin' I want to sometimes." I sighed, re-clipping my hair back with a red clip. "I wish my mom weren't dead."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Not like anyone coulda done anything, anyway." I stared at the ground as we walked. "See you around."

"Bye."

I had to walk fast to get home in time. I saw everyone hanging around in the backyard. I didn't stop and say anything to them. I just went to my room and read a book that M&M had loaned me.

.

"How long you been home for?" Darry asked after he'd walked past my door, barely noticing I was in there.

I checked the clock next to my bed. "Two hours. You said be home by ten."

"Oh. Thanks for gettin' home in time."

"Mhm." I nodded, turning a page of the book.