exactly trying to glamorize them.
I look out the window. Dadâs car is gone. He must have been alerted to the story and had to take off early. That happens a lot.
âThis case has garnered more attention than any other,â Pia says, her face perfect with peach-blush cheeks. She is wearing peach, and she looks like you could eat her, a perfect china doll. Glossy black hair, a fringe framing her innocent-looking, petite face. So perfect. âEven gaining attention around the rest of the world, which is reflected here in the turnout outside the Guild court in Highland Castle, with record numbers of people turning out to support their soccer hero Jimmy Child, Humming Cityâs best striker, who has led us to victory so many years. And today he is victorious again, as he left the court only moments ago having been deemed by Judge Crevan and his associates not to be Flawed. I repeat, breaking news to those who have just joined us: Jimmy Child is not Flawed.â
I gasp.
âWhat?â I say. âHas that ever happened before?â
Mom finally breaks her stare from the TV. âI donât know. I donât think so. I ⦠maybe once,â she says vaguely.
âNot a surprising result when a Crevan owns a share in the soccer team,â Juniper says suddenly from behind us. I turn to her.
Momâs face looks pained. âJuniperâ¦â she says simply.
âDamon Crevan. Owns a fifty-five percent stake in Humming City, but I suppose everyone will tell me thatâs just coincidence. If you ask me, it was his wife they put on trial,â Juniper says. âAnd that dirty man got away with it.â
Nobody disagrees. Jimmy Childâs glamorous wife had been on the front page of every newspaper for the past few weeks as her lifestyle was thrashed out for all to see. Every aspect of her, every inch of her body, was fodder for gossip sites and even news sites.
âGo to school,â Mom says in a warning tone. âAny more talk like that and theyâll come for you, missy.â She clips Juniperâs nose playfully.
She was almost right.
Â
NINE
WHEN I STEP outside, I see Colleen standing at her familyâs car. The front door of her house is open, and she looks like sheâs waiting. I guess she wonât be going to school today, probably going to the courthouse to her momâs trial. My heart beats wildly as I try to figure out what to do. If I say hello, I might get in trouble. Anybody could see me speaking to her from their home, and I could be reported. What if Bosco sees me from one of the windows of his monstrous mansion or as he leaves for work? Saying hi may be seen as disloyalty toward the Guild, as support for Colleen and her mom. Would that be seen as aiding and assisting a Flawed? I donât want to go to prison. But if I ignore her, it will be rude. It is Colleenâs mother whoâs accused of being Flawed, not her. She looks over at me and I canât do it. I look away quickly.
Behind me I hear Juniper say âGood luck todayâ to Colleen. It annoys me how easily she says that and then puts on her headphones and ignores everyone.
Art is already at the bus stop waiting for me, as usual, looking delicious, as usual. I leap on him as soon as I get to him.
âBird.â
âMouse.â
He kisses me, but I pull away quickly, excited to discuss the news.
âDid you hear about Jimmy Child?â I expect Art to be elated. Jimmy Child is his hero, and up until a year ago he had his posters plastered all over his walls. Most boys did. During the trial, Art had the opportunity to meet him, though a quick meet and greet in a holding cell before court wasnât what heâd been dreaming of throughout his boyhood, and he hadnât wanted to discuss it much.
âYeah,â he says. âDad left at the crack of dawn this morning. He wanted to push the verdict through first thing, in time for the morning