〃Yeah？〃
〃What's really bothering you？ About the Sam thing； I mean？ Is there something
else？〃 I watched his face。
He grimaced； but he didn't seem angry。 He looked at the dirt and kicked his
shoe against the front tire of
his bike again and again； like he was keeping time。
He sighed。 〃It's just the way they treat me。 It creeps me out。〃 The words
started to rush out now。 〃You
know； the council is supposed to be made up of equals； but if there was a
leader； it would be my dad。
I've never been able to figure out why people treat him the way they do。 Why
his opinion counts the
most。 It's got something to do with his father and his father's father。 My
great…grandpa； Ephraim Black；
was sort of the last chief we had； and they still listen to Billy； maybe
because of that。
〃But I'm just like everyone else。 Nobody treats me special until now。〃
That caught me off guard。 〃Sam treats you special？〃
〃Yeah；〃 he agreed； looking up at me with troubled eyes。 〃He looks at me like
he's waiting for
something like I'm going to join his stupid gang someday。 He pays more
attention to me than any of the
other guys。 I hate it。〃
〃You don't have to join anything。〃 My voice was angry。 This was really
upsetting Jacob； and that
infuriated me。 Who did these 〃protectors〃 think they were？
〃Yeah。〃 His foot kept up its rhythm against the tire。
〃What？〃 I could tell there was more。
He frowned； his eyebrows pulling up in a way that looked sad and worried
rather than angry。 〃It's
Embry。 He's been avoiding me lately。〃
The thoughts didn't seem connected； but I wondered if I was to blame for the