In the interim, we worked out a schedule that would make sure Lugenia was never alone. Which meant that I walked her to school the next morning. She stayed close to me.

“I’m not sure why you’re doing this.”

“Because they shot at me.” She’d believe that over any kind of altruism, I thought. And it was at least partially true. If I hadn’t been shot at I wouldn’t have known any of this was going on.

“Mm-hmm.” She studied me. “So you’re going to risk them shooting at you again.”

I didn’t even have a gun. The school had metal detectors. “I don’t think they’ll do it in a more public place.”

“The social worker’s pissed. But she says she can’t do anything to help.”

They’d boarded up the window. That was all. The police had taken notes, sniffed around, and basically told us they’d keep their eyes open.

It wasn’t a priority for them. I knew that. And Lugenia’s issues certainly weren’t, although they had said she should be able to get a restraining order on Carlos or Marcos or whatever his name was. It was some -os name. I wasn’t about to ask. That would be giving him too much dignity and, potentially, too much power.

Besides, getting it wrong might annoy him into screwing up. “Of course not. They didn’t even threaten to move you.”

“I’m eighteen next year, then not their problem. Then I can starve or get murdered or…you’re better off. You’re white.”

I heard the bitterness in her voice. I didn’t agree that I was better off, and Kanesha was doing just fine. But maybe she really felt that way. And maybe I had to remember Kanesha was exceptional.

“Oh crap.”

“Is that him?” He did look vaguely familiar. Waiting at the school gates with his hands in his pockets. He looked like the dropout he was.

“Yeah. That’s him.”

“Ignore him. Walk right past him like he’s not there,” I instructed.

“Lue!” he called.

She did what I said, but her cheeks turned scarlet. I maneuvered until I was between the two of them.

“Just come home, baby.”

Home? They hadn’t even been living together. The occasional night, maybe, and I found myself glad that at least Lugenia wasn’t pregnant.

To her credit she ignored him. He moved towards us. I body-checked him away, feeling as I did that he had a gun on his right side. Left handed, then. I’d remember that if it came to a fight.

“Get out of the way, white bitch.”

“No.” I said, very quietly. “Back down or get hurt.”

“By you?” He laughed, but he didn’t press things. For now.

I was surprised to find I was glad to be underestimated.