Dead Silence by Brenda Novak Read Free Book Online

for what Joe had done for him when they were only twelve years old, Kennedy doubted they’d even be friends. “I don’t want to hear it.”
    At the irritation in Kennedy’s voice, they stared at him for several seconds. A few muttered about the pressure he was under. But after a while, the tension eased and they started talking about the Jaguars and what kind of football season they could expect.
    Kennedy listened until he couldn’t stand wondering about Grace anymore. Then, with a silent curse, he got up and went to the woman’s restroom. “Grace?” he said, knocking on the door. “You okay in there?”
    No reply. Just the sound of the fan whirring inside.
    â€œGrace? If you don’t answer, I’ll have to come in.”
    Still nothing.
    He began to enter—and caught a brief glimpse of her staggering to her feet. But then she hit the other side of the door and held it closed with the weight of her body.
    â€œI—I’m…fine,” she said. But her words were broken as though she had to gulp for the air to speak.
    Judging by the unusually pale face and saucerlike eyes he’d seen in the mirror, he knew she couldn’t be fine. She was sick. He could smell it.
    â€œDo you need a ride home?” he asked.
    There was no response, but she was leaning against the door, and he didn’t want to force it open.
    â€œI could give you a lift right now.”
    â€œNo, you…you go on back to your friends. They’re pretty funny…I—I wouldn’t want you to miss anything.”
    Shit. She’d heard them, just as he feared. He tried to open the door again, but it wouldn’t budge. “The guys—they can be idiots sometimes, you know? I often wonder if they’ll ever grow up. Forget about them, okay? They don’t mean half the things that come out of their mouths.”
    The sound of fabric brushing against the wood led him to believe she’d just slid to the floor.
    â€œGrace?”
    â€œLeave me alone.” Her voice was more strident now, but it came from much lower, confirming his suspicion that she was on the floor. “I—I’m not one of your many admirers, so…do us both a favor and go.”
    Go. With a sigh, Kennedy told himself to do just that. But he couldn’t; the words he’d heard his friends say, and how deeply he suspected they’d hurt her, wouldn’t let him. He paced the short hall several times. Then he realized that Joe and the others were still waiting to see what would happen, and decided to take Grace out of the spotlight by returning to the table.
    â€œYou get anything good?” Joe asked and everyone laughed.
    â€œHe’d be smilin’ if that was the case,” Tim said.
    Kennedy scowled. “You guys can be real assholes, you know that?”
    Â 
    Hunching over the sink, Grace dabbed a wet paper towel to her forehead. She needed to gather the strength to walk out of the pizza parlor. But she washoping Kennedy and his friends would leave first. She’d face them all later, when she was better prepared.
    Breathe deeply. In and out. In and out. She’d be okay. She’d survived a lot worse than this. It was just the surprise, the throwback to old times that bothered her.
    Forget them. You don’t need them. You never did….
    The voice of a little boy heading into the opposite restroom rose in the hallway, and she decided to make her move. The approach of the dinner hour meant there were probably a lot more people in the restaurant. Even if Kennedy Archer and his friends were still around, maybe she could slip by without being noticed. Even if they saw her, she didn’t care. The initial shock was over. What more could they do?
    She splashed some water on her face and patted it dry, then marched into the dining area. Beer mugs, paper plates and silver pizza pans littered the table where Kennedy and his friends had eaten, but the seats