MY THOUGHTS CIRCLED BACK to the present, as I zombie-stepped my way through the school walkways, wondering where Zander could be. I had expected him to meet me in the parking lot this morning. Was he avoiding me? Then again, what if he wasn't and something happened to him?
I wanted to hit something, so I picked up my step, stomping around the closest building, hoping I could find a wall or tree to smack without anyone thinking I was going postal. I skidded to a stop when I saw Ruthie sitting on the ground crying.
"Ruthie! Oh my gosh! What happened?" I knelt down beside her.
She rubbed her cheeks. "I don't know. That's the problem!" She held out her wrists. "I don't know how I got these bruises. And I don't know why my arm is bleeding."
A red line ran down the inside of her arm, oozing
