Luke didn’t get a chance to read the note from Jen’s dad the next day. Or the next. Or the next.

In fact, an entire week went by with him resolving every night in bed, “Tomorrow Surely I’ll find a way to read the note tomorrow.” But the next nightfall found him still stymied.

At first, he thought there was an easy solution. The bathroom, for example. He could go in, shut the door, read the note.

But none of the bathrooms at Hendricks were like the bathroom at home, closed-in and private. The Hendricks bathrooms were rows of urinals and commodes, right out in front of everyone. Even the shower was communal, just an open, tiled room with dozens of spigots sprouting from each wall.

Luke could barely bring himself to lower his pants with everyone watching, let alone read the note. He always lingered until most of the other boys were gone, but he never found a bathroom that fully emptied out Finally, after three days had passed and he was getting desperate, he resolved to wait in the bathroom for as long as it took, regardless of bells or classes. The bell rang for breakfast and still he remained, pretending to be very concerned with scrubbing his face.

Finally it was just Luke and another boy, standing by the door.

“Out,” the boy said.

The boy was mean-faced and muscular. Luke’s legs trembled, but he didn’t shut off the water.

‘I’m not done,” Luke mumbled, trying to sound nonchalant, unconcerned. He failed miserably.

The boy grabbed Luke’s arm.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said OUT!” The boy jerked so hard on Luke’s arm that Luke felt pain shoot through his whole body. Then the boy shoved Luke out the door. Luke landed in a heap on the hallway floor. A hall monitor looked down at him in disgust