Chapter 7: The Coat

Brynn didn't answer Caleb's texts.

She turned her phone face down, wiped her eyes, and took a down coat off the hook behind her door.

"Put this on," she said.

"I'm fine."

"You're blue." She held it open. "Erin, I saw your hands when you gave me the scarf. They're cracked."

"It's cold out."

"It's cold in your room, too. Isn't it?"

I didn't say anything, and she pushed my arms into the sleeves.

The coat was thick and warm and smelled like her shampoo.

It was the first time anyone had dressed me since I was seven.

"Thank you," I said. It came out rough.

"Don't thank me. I slapped you in front of a million people." She zipped it to my chin. "Where do you eat?"

"The dining hall."

"With what? The card doesn't work."

I looked at the floor.

"Erin."

"There's a soup van," I said. "On Larch Street. It's free."

She stared at me.

Then she grabbed her purse.

"Take me."

We walked down the hill together, past the party spilling light onto the lawn.

Nobody called her back.

Dustin was leaning on the van with a mug when we came around the corner.

He straightened when he saw the second girl.

"This is Brynn," I said. "Brynn, Dustin."

"The one who slapped her," Dustin said.

"The one who is very sorry," Brynn said, and meant it.

He nodded slowly, and he ladled her a bowl of tomato basil before he said anything else.

"Second bucket for the bowl after," he said.