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She pulls at the knot of the hoodie.

“I moved before he got close. That part worked. Then he just followed me and kept talking.”

“You tell a teacher?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because he didn’t touch me.”

“That’s not the rule.”

“It is if I want anybody to care.”

She looks at the juice instead of me.

“I don’t like going anymore.”

I take the stool across from her.

“Since when?”

“I don’t know. Since he started again.”

“What do you want to happen?”

“I want him to stop.”

“I got that part.”

“I don’t want Mamma going back to the school.”

“Why?”

“Because they already know. She had meetings. They watched him for a while. He stopped for a while. Then he started again.”

“That doesn’t mean she shouldn’t know.”

“I didn’t say she shouldn’t know.”

“What are you saying?”

“I don’t want another meeting.”

That’s different.

“She misses things every time they call her there.”

“She’s not working right now.”

“I know.”

Something in her voice makes me leave that sentence alone.

“Do you want me to do anything?”

“No.”