It was REEEALLY weird getting off the bus in the middle of Hills Village.
There was the Duper Market, where Mom used to shop. There was the parking meter where I broke my tooth when I was ten. There was… some kid whose name I couldn’t remember.
I felt like that Scrooge guy, who goes back to where he used to live and looks around without anyone knowing he’s there.
“Hey, I’m the invisible one,” Leo said. “If I were you, I wouldn’t stick around downtown too long.”
He was right about that. Hills Village isn’t very big, and it was only a matter of time before I saw someone I didn’t want to see.
I’d spent twenty-nine dollars on my bus ticket, so that left eleven in my pocket. I used part of it for a bag of flaming barbeque chips and a can of Zoom at the FastMart by the bus station. Then I started walking again.
It was only about a mile to Jeanne Galletta’s house, but by the time I got there, it was already dark.
(Yeah, that’s right. Jeanne Galletta’s house. Hey, I never said it was a good plan. It was just a plan.)
For a minute I thought about waiting until morning. But then I thought about everything I’d done to get there.
I wasn’t going to stop now, just because it was night. So I walked right up the Gallettas’ front walk and rang the bell.
Before anyone answered, one of the curtains in the front window was pulled back, and there was Jeanne. She looked like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Then the front door opened, and Mr. Galletta was standing right in front of me.
“Can I help you?” he said.
“Hi,” I said. “Is Jeanne home?”
“Do you know what time it is, young man?” Mr. Galletta said.
I guess I could have been nervous. In fact, I probably should have been nervous. But you know when you see those people playing poker on TV, and they push all their chips into the middle of the table?
That was me right now. I was all in.
“Rafe?” Jeanne said. All of a sudden, she was there behind her dad. “Are you okay?”
“Hey, Jeanne,” I said.
“Jeanne, what’s going on here?” her dad asked.
“I don’t know,” she said. “What’s going on, Rafe?”
“Not too much,” I said. “I just wanted to come over and tell you… thanks for being so nice to me last year.”
Now both of them were looking at me the same way that lady on the bus had—like I was definitely crazy, and maybe dangerous.
But I didn’t care. I’d done what I came to do. At least I could say I finished something that year.
“Anyway, that’s about it. I’ll see you later, Jeanne,” I said, and stepped off their porch.
Mr. Galletta was looking around the street now. “Are you alone?” he said.
“Yeah,” I said. “I mean—not for long. My mom’s just picking up some milk at the Duper Market. I’m supposed to meet her over there on the corner in a minute.”
I could tell Jeanne didn’t believe me, but before she could say anything, her dad was closing the door.
“Okay, then,” he said. “Have a good night, Rafe. And not so late next time, okay?”
“Sure thing,” I said, and started walking away.
I waited until I heard the Gallettas’ door close before I looked back. When I did, Jeanne was at the window again, watching me. For some reason, that made me feel really good. I waved good-bye and then looked away quickly, before she could do it first.
But I didn’t get very far. I was still on Jeanne’s street when I heard Mr. Galletta again.
“Rafe?” he said.
I turned around, and he was coming after me. For a second I thought about running.
“Why don’t you come back inside?” Mr. Galletta asked.
It wasn’t really a question, though. And, besides, I just didn’t feel like running anymore.