less than a minute later
Ethan strides down the hallway
right for me
I want to scream
I absolutely do
but I make no sound
logic and panic warring within me

I have nowhere to go

and he knows it

he reaches me
and grabs my elbow
and pulls me father down the hallway
whimpering
and just as I am about to find my voice
he squeezes tighter
“Shut up or you’ll regret it.”

I already did

but I cannot go with him
this fact as clear as anything
so with no voice
I depend on my body
and drop to the floor
dead weight

he is mad
and drags me for a minute
until he tries to haul me back to my feet
my upper arm strength surprises him
because he cannot budge me

he struggles, cursing at me
then hits me
the pain flooding my cheek in a wave

“Hey! What are you doing?”
Ethan looks up
just as my Coach
tackles him
pinning him to the ground

and yells -
louder than I have ever heard-
for help

he looks at me
still crying
curled against the wall
“Are you okay?” he asks

I nod, resting in the shadow