Angel of Redemption by J. A. Little Read Free Book Online

hands together on top of the desk and
looking at Matty and Logan.
    “ So obviously you know that we have
all the Wyatt House boys here, ” she starts, her voice stern. “ We are well aware of the variety of issues that you face
both in your personal lives and at school. You should not be surprised that we
do not tolerate violence on this campus, nor do we allow drugs. There is a zero-tolerance
policy against weapons of any type. If you are caught with such an item while
on campus, it is grounds for immediate expulsion. ”
    I
watch Logan roll his eyes. He gets the same lecture every single time he starts
a new school, all because of the initial weapons charge against him when he
stabbed the guy who tried to buy Matty. He wasn ’ t prosecuted, but we ’ re required to reveal any violent
behavior. I want to scream at them that he was just defending his little
brother from a pedophile, but I know that I can ’ t. Confidentiality really can be a
bitch sometimes.
    After
about twenty minutes, the boys are released to get their class schedules. I
hand Principal Sylvester my card.
    “ If you have any questions or concerns,
please call me, ” I tell her before following the boys
out. Logan is staring at his schedule with a smile.
    “ I take it you ’ re happy? ”
    He
sticks his tongue out. “ I ’ ve got five female teachers. I ’ m all set. ”
    It ’ s always a show with Logan, even with
me. He knows I don ’ t buy it, but he does it anyway.
    “ What about you? ” I ask Matty.
    “ I didn ’ t want to take algebra again, ” he grumbles.
    “ Why not? ” I frown.
    “‘ Cause I ’ m not good at it. ”
    I
purse my lips together. Another self-fulfilling prophecy. Over the years, Matty ’ s silence has been mistaken for
stupidity, and he ’ s
starting to believe it. I grab his chin, trying to make him look at me. At
first he refuses, his eyes darting everywhere other than my face, but
eventually he gives in.
    “ Stop, ” I say firmly. “ Don ’ t let one jerk teacher make you
believe that crap. ”
    Two
months ago, Sandy Barker and I were called in to talk about Matty ’ s refusal to participate in his algebra class. The teacher
suggested — in front of him — that algebra was a little beyond his capabilities. I was
livid. I filed a complaint with the school, but nothing happened, of course.
Nothing ever happens. Matty tries to turn his head, but I grip a little
tighter.
    “ Matthew. ”
    “ Okaaaaay, ” he groans. I let go of his chin and pat him on the cheek. I
don ’ t miss the slight upward curl of his
mouth.
    “ You, ” I say, poking my finger into Logan ’ s chest. “ Behave yourself . Please. ”
    “ I don ’ t know what you ’ re talking about. ” Logan grins innocently.
    I
hum. “ You guys can catch the bus home with
the rest of the boys. I ’ m stopping by later this afternoon, but only for a few
minutes. Enjoy your day, make new friends, and stay out of trouble. ”
    Logan
laughs. I say the same thing every time I register them in a new school. It ’ s become my mantra. It makes them
smile, so I keep saying it.
    I leave the school and drive through the city to
work. After showing my ID badge at the employees’ entrance, I head to my
office. It’s not really an office—more like a big room with four desks
and no door. Only supervisors get doors.
    My
unit consists of myself and three other social workers — Sara Dravin, Warren De Jesus, and Dana Jeffries. Sara is a
year younger than I am. She ’ s fun, bubbly, and absolutely loves her job. She ’ s been doing it for three years and
even though she ’ s
had some really devastating cases, she ’ s good at not letting them affect her spirit.
    Warren
is thirty-one and fabulously bisexual. He has a wicked sense of humor and
usually says out loud all the crap that everyone else is thinking.
    Dana ’ s a little bit older. She ’ s the grandmother of our group and
often scolds us when we start getting too crude for her tastes. I