'And they're all brave,' Jeannie said.
'They are,' I said.
'Is it so important feeling brave?' Jeannie said.
'I guess it is,' I said.
'God,' Jeannie said. 'Being a boy must not be easy.'
'No,' I said. 'No easier than being a girl.'
'Being a kid,' Aurelio said, 'is especially not easy.'
Chapter 41
A kid named Petey Hernandez stopped me in the corridor when school was letting out. He was fifteen and already had a scar on his left forearm where someone had cut him with a knife.
'Got a minute?' he said.
I said I did.
'We know how you been looking out for Aurelio Lopez,' he said.
I nodded.
'Aurelio ain't much,' Petey said. 'But he's Mexican, and I figure we owe you for it.'
'You don't owe me anything,' I said.
Petey shrugged.
'Anyway,' he said, 'Aurelio ain't the only Mexican they been beatin' on.'
'Who's a??they'?' I said.
'Roemer and his pack,' Petey said.
I nodded. Croy went by us without making eye contact.
'How 'bout Croy?' I said. 'He in the pack?'
'Yeah,' Petey said. 'Wouldn't you figure?'
'Seems the type,' I said.
Petey nodded.
'Gonna be a rumble,' he said.
'Yeah?'
'Down back of the Y,' Petey said. 'Roemer and his buddies like to hang out there. We gonna go down there and settle things.'
'When?' I said.
Petey shook his head.
'You don't need to know,' he said.
'Why you telling me at all?' I said.
'So you'll stay away from those guys,' he said. 'Don't want to see you get hurt.'
