"Asha, you'll never believe it! You remember that Sir Wagner guy—" Rae broke off as she realized something was clearly wrong. She had gotten on the transport— on time, surprisingly— but this time, it was Asha who was late. Rae had helped her onto the transport, talking even before she got on. But once she saw Asha's uninterested, and yet worried face, she stopped midway. "Asha... something be wrong?"

Asha plastered a smile— that you might've believed was real, if you didn't know her, that is— and swung herself onto the transport. "'Course not. What you be saying about Sir Wagner?"

Rae bit her bottom lip and tried to say, as gently as possible, "Is it family issues?"

"It be nothing, Rae!"

When you know someone well enough, you can usually tell when they don't want to talk. Rae could. It was silent for a moment, as she watched the other transports leave the station. The rippling heat seemed to make spots appear in front of her eyes, and for a moment, she felt dizzy enough to fall backwards. For a second, she seemed to have forgotten what she was so excited to tell Asha about.

"Right. So... I was saying. Sir Wagner, he, uh... employed my father."

"That be good." It was clear that Asha was not listening. Her head was bent downward and she was biting her nails raw. Rae remembered a time when Asha used to do that so often, her mother would make her wear gloves, even in the summer, to break the habit.

"Actually, I don't think it's a very good thing. I said Sir Wagner, Asha."

"Okay..."

"The same guy who came to our school yesterday?" Rae sighed. "Asha? You be listening?"

"What?" Asha looked up, and Rae noticed she was blinking extremely fast, as if she were on the verge of crying.

"Okay." Rae led Asha to a quiet spot on the corner of the transport. "You be telling me right now. What be the problem?"

"Not here... not—"

"It be Billy?" Rae said in a lower voice. "He threw up over his uniform again?"

"No!"

"Rocky? Your... parents?"

Asha paused for just a second, but Rae realized it right away. Her face fell slowly as she said, "Oh... no... They did it, didn't they?"

Asha nodded quickly. "They be going through with the divorce." Now that she had said it, she seemed much more calm. Her face had changed from nervous to grave stricken, yet determined in less than a minute.

"I be so sorry Asha, I—"

"That not be what I be worried about. Mama wanted custody of the twins, she be taking Billy and Dion with her. And Papa said he just not being able to take care of the three of us— Mya, me and R-Rocky," her voice shook, but she straightened herself. "He be sending us to the camps."

"Asha— NO!"

"I sort of being agreeing with him. There be no other way—"

"But he can't—"

"It either be paying the child taxes or keeping the house. He just being practical, Rae."

"But Mya be having a job..."

"It not be paying enough. This camp be taking all the loans off—"

"But— you just— you can't!" For the first time, Rae did not have the words.

"Why not? It not be a torture camp." She laughed bitterly. "They be giving us food, it be easy work—"

"But you can't just be throwing away your education! Look, I'll give you some of the profits from the book sales, you are my partner, after all—"

Asha sent her a sharp look and Rae went silent. "Look, Rae. It all be said and done. I be leaving, and nothing you say can change that." Rae opened her mouth again. "And please, don't be trying to change that. It be the one thing I ask of you. And, honestly, I be more worried about the others— Rocky be the one concerned about education, he was this close to finishing school. And Mya, we both know she be in love with her job, she not want to go work at a camp. Mom be so mad, she not even be speaking to— and the twins don't even know we be leaving and—"

She took a deep breath. "What I be trying to say, is that my family be falling apart. And, when I be... gone, visit the twins, okay? Be like a... what you call it— the book we read about sailing, remember? The metal thing that's shaped sort of like—"

"An anchor."

"Yeah, an anchor. Be like an anchor for my family. Before we drift too far apart."

Rae nodded. The floor lurched beneath her feet as the transport came to a stop. They had arrived at school. Everyone started exiting, but she and Asha stood where they were, facing each other.

"When— when are you leaving?"

"Monday, and we be coming back next year. For a break, and then we be leaving for the next term—"

Rae thought of how long Asha would stay there, make new friends (if they let her) and then do it all over again. Again and again until her father could afford it or until she turned 18.

"Anyways— you be seeing me off?" For the first time that morning, Asha sounded hopeful.

Rae nodded again. Of course she was.
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