The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 06

The Summer I Disappeared Chapter 06

Mom froze. A dry laugh escaped her.

“Ms. Green, you must be mistaken. Winter’s grades are community college level at best. What National Merit

Scholar?”

The smile on Ms. Green’s face went stiff. She stared at the McCalls in disbelief.

“You… you didn’t know?!”

Ms. Green fumbled for her phone, pulled up the score report, and held it out to Dad.

“1590 on the SAT! The highest score in this district in nearly a decade! National Merit Scholar!”

“Ivy League admissions offices were blowing up my phone yesterday. Said Winter’s phone was off and they

couldn’t reach her.”

“I assumed you had her tucked away somewhere, carefully weighing her options!”

Clatter.

Leo’s coffee cup tipped over. Hot coffee spread across the table. He didn’t even notice.

Dad fixed his gaze on that impossible number on the screen. His breathing went ragged.

“This… this can’t be…”

Mom shot to her feet. Snatched the phone.

The moment she saw my name next to that score, she collapsed back into her chair.

“1590… Mom whispered it.

“If she scored 1590, then all these days…”

“All these days we were cheering for Tally and her 1480. What was going through her head?”

“When we told her to go to some random East Coast liberal arts school… why didn’t she say anything?”

Leo felt something shatter in his brain.

His mind slammed back to the night before.

Winter. Blood streaming down her forehead. Not crying. Not fighting. Just staring at them with this calm that

was more terrifying than any scream.

That wasn’t surrender.

That was goodbye.

“Winter…”

Leo yanked out his phone. Dialed her number with shaking fingers.

“I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off.”

Again. Still off.

Facebook. A message. A glaring red “Unable to Send” notification.

A nameless dread seized Leo by the throat.

He bolted to his feet. Grabbed his keys and the laptop bag. His voice cracked.

“Sir. Ma’am. I’m going back for her.”