A Bird on a Windowsill Read Free Page A

doing.
    He’s staring off into the distance at something.
    “What’s she doing here?” he asks.
    I stand up taller and squint my eyes to try and see what he’s looking at. And as soon as I get a good look, I see Vannah, walking across the back field toward us.
    I shrug. “I don’t know.” I go and grab the shovel myself and start scooping more sawdust onto our mountain. “Maybe she can help.”
    I glance back at him, and he gives me a funny, side-eyed look.
    “But she’s a girl.”
    I ignore Dillon, and a minute later, Vannah is facing the both of us.
    “What are you guys doing?” she asks.
    “Makin’ a mountain,” I say.
    “Can I help?”
    “Yeah,” I say.
    Vannah starts scooping the sawdust into her hands. And when her little hands can’t hold anymore, she adds the sawdust to the top of the pile that Dillon and I have already started.
    “You love her, don’t you?”
    Vannah and I both stop and turn toward Dillon.
    “That’s what it is,” Dillon says. “You love her, don’t you, Salem?”
    He gives me a devilish smile, and I don’t like it. But I just ignore him and go back to shoveling.
    “You looove her,” he sings, drawing out the L word.
    I stop, quickly turn and face Dillon.
    “I don’t love her,” I say to him.
    “You do, too. You love Savannah Catesby.”
    I can feel my ears getting hot. “I don’t love her,” I say, louder this time.
    “Yes, you do,” he shouts.
    I stand up straighter and throw the shovel hard to the ground. “I don’t either,” I shout.
    “You do, too,” Dillon screams back.
    He gets too close, and I shove him backwards.
    “She’s just a stupid girl,” I say. “I don’t even like her.”
    Both Dillon and Vannah are quiet, as my scream echoes between the two tin buildings, bouncing off the walls as if it’s a dirty word.
    I feel bad for what I just said. I look at Vannah. Her eyes are getting red.
    “Vannah,” I say, sheepishly.
    Her lip starts to quiver, and then her mouth turns down into a frown. I try to think of what to do next, as a tear trickles down her cheek.
    My eyes go to Dillon. I can tell he doesn’t know what to do, either. He’s on the ground now, staring at Vannah. He looks just as scared as I feel.
    And just like that, Vannah takes off running. And I take off running after her.
    “Vannah,” I call to her. But it doesn’t do any good. She doesn’t stop running.
    It takes me a minute, but I finally catch up to her.
    “Vannah, I didn’t mean it.”
    She stops and immediately turns away from me, covering her face.
    “Go away.”
    I think about going away, but I don’t want to leave her, so I stay.
    “Vannah.”
    I touch her shoulder. And then I close my eyes and wait for her to slug me. But a few seconds go by, and she doesn’t.
    I slowly force my eyelids open, and she’s facing me. Her eyes are puffy and red, and she’s sniffling.
    “You said I was a stupid girl.”
    “You’re not a stupid girl,” I say.
    She keeps her red stare on me. I feel sad, too. I’m sorry for what I said. I’m sorry for making her cry.
    “You’re a smart girl,” I say. “I’m a stupid boy.”
    My eyes slowly fall to the ground, and I dig my toe into the grass, until the tip of my shoe is covered in dirt.
    “You said you didn’t like me.”
    I shake my head back and forth. “I lied.”
    “So, you do like me?”
    I look into her teary eyes, and I nod.
    It feels as if two days go by, but eventually, her lips start to turn into a smile.
    “Don’t lie again,” she demands.
    “I won’t,” I promise.
    And before I even realize what’s happening, she wraps her arms around me. She hugs me, and it’s the weirdest feeling in the world—to be hugged by her. My first instinct is to pull away and push her to the ground. That’s what I should do. That’s what Dillon would do. And if she were my sister, that’s what I’d do. But for some reason or another, I don’t. I just stand there, and I let her hug me. I let her hug me because I