Chapter 21

All my classmates advised me to stay away from Clay. Still, I tried to strike up a conversation with him, but he'd just shut me down every time. We ended up sharing a desk for an entire semester without ever having a real conversation. That changed over summer break when I got a part-time job. One night, I got off work late and was walking home when I passed a narrow alley and heard a fight break out inside. Curiosity got the better of me, so I crept closer and saw Clay brawling with a group of delinquents. He was outnumbered, and with his slim build, he didn't stand a chance. The other guys pinned him down and beat him bloody. Caught off guard, I instinctively shouted at the top of my lungs, "The cops are coming! The cops are coming!" It worked. The delinquents scrambled up and ran, leaving Clay crumpled on the ground. Once I was sure they were gone, I ran over and helped Clay up. He was out cold from the beating, so I rushed him to the hospital. I stayed by his bedside for a f