The Year of My Miraculous Reappearance by Catherine Ryan Hyde Read Free Book Online Page B

either. I'd been feeling that way for as long as I could remember.
    “Wait in the outer office. I'll write you a note to take home to her.”
    I sat there swinging my legs and thinking about when I was littler, and got in trouble, which I almost always did, and how it used to make my stomach tingle. I wondered why my stomach didn't tingle anymore. I knew this wasn't good, but I didn't feel anything about it.
    Mrs. Leary, who worked in the office doing attendance, took time off to drive me home.
    I kept staring out the window, wondering if I should havementioned about my bike still being at school. I got the feeling she was looking at me, but I didn't look back.
    “You know,” she said, “I've noticed that you miss a lot of afternoon classes. I try to call your mother but she's never home.”
    “She's home,” I said. “She's always home. She just doesn't like to get up and answer the phone.” It felt good to run my mom down like that. I'm not sure why.
    Mrs. Leary didn't say anything for a long time, but when we pulled into the driveway, she said, “Are you okay at home?”
    “Yeah. Fine.”
    “Anything going on that someone should know about?”
    “No. I'm fine.”
    “We could get you a good counselor.”
    “I don't need one.”
    “I think your mother and the principal will decide that. You might not end up with a choice in the matter.”
    I shrugged. I was thinking, So what's new?
    I hoped she'd just drop me off, but she came to the door. Mom was up, still in her robe, but up. She must've slept late, because I could tell she hadn't had much to drink yet, and I was relieved that she looked okay.
    Mrs. Leary said, “Cynthia has a note to explain why she's home in the middle of the day.” Then she left us alone.
    “So. Where's the note?” “I think I left it in my locker at school.” “Are you in trouble?”
    “Just a little.”
    “Will you bring the note hometomorrow? Right away?”
    “Yeah, I promise.”
    “Nothing I need to know about sooner?”
    “No. No big deal.”
    She didn't look completely satisfied, but she poured herself a drink and didn't bring it up again. I was kind of relieved and insulted at the same time. It was like she didn't even care enough to find out the truth. It was like she could take anything that pissed her off and just make it evaporate into thin air.

CHAPTER 5
Swimming Upside Down
    That night, after it got dark, I slipped out of the house and walked over to Snake's. I figured he'd be home, because he couldn't work on our car in the dark. Maybe we could leave early. Like soon. Like before I had to deal with all the flak. I didn't know if the car was ready, but I knew it ran. I hadn't actually seen it run, but I'd been told. I was so ready to disappear, I felt like I was about to explode. And I wanted to see Bill so bad. I felt like another ten minutes would be too long to wait.
    Snake's father answered the door. He was a big man with hair all bushy on the sides and missing completely on top. He had a plastic bag full of ice on his eye, and before I even said anything I could tell he was in a bad mood.
    “Is Snake home?”
    “No.”
    “Oh. Do you know where he is?”
    “No.” “Oh. Maybe when he gets back— ”
    “He won't, if he's smart.”
    “Oh. Okay. Bye.”
    I walked as fast as I could back to the street, but the door was still open, and I thought I could feel him watching me. It felt like something cold all down my back. I tried not to run.
    I had no idea Snake's dad was so scary. I guess he didn't want me to know.
    I decided I'd a million times rather live with my mom than Snake's dad. I decided Snake's got it worse than me.
    Halfway home I saw Snake coming right down the sidewalk at me. He had a big towel that he was holding up to his mouth and a lot of blood on his shirt. So I felt partly scared about what happened to him and partly glad to see him.
    I said, “Snake. What happened?”
    He said, “You want to get out of this town, you better pack.
    Your