Freddy walked out of the class, the man named “Roy” behind him. Freddy wasn’t so sure about Roy. He kept sighing and seemed really bored. How could anyone be bored by nuclear and particle physics? True, the professor wasn’t as knowledgeable as he thought he was, and that made him a little boring, but the field itself was fascinating! Whenever things got bad for Freddy, whenever he got real tense about something, he focused on the world of science and things got better. Toni and his therapist, Dr. Mathews, had taught him that. Because when things were better, Freddy was less inclined to . . . do things he shouldn’t.

Walking down the hall, Freddy felt really small. Everyone around him was so big . . . and old. But what Toni always told Freddy was that these people might be physically big, but Freddy had something none of these people had besides being smart—he had his family. Even when they were physically apart, even when they were arguing, even when they threatened each other with copyright and trademark lawsuits, they were still family. They would always be family.

Because of that, Freddy kept his head high and walked through that crowd of people with Roy right behind him. They got outside and Roy’s phone rang.

“Yeah? Yeah. Okay. Hold up, kid.”

Freddy stopped on the third step and looked back at Roy.

“We need to wait here. Ricky Lee’s coming to pick you up.”

Freddy smiled. “Okay!” He liked Ricky Lee. A lot. He was funny and nice and made Toni laugh. Their dad had started calling him “that bastard wolf ” lately, but Freddy wasn’t fooled. He knew his dad liked Ricky Lee, too. He just didn’t want to admit it.

Roy glanced down at Freddy. “Do you need me to hold that backpack for ya, kid?”

Freddy shook his head and gripped the straps. “No, thank you.”

“Okay. But let me know if it gets too heavy.”

Roy looked around; saw a pack of girls nearby. Grinning, he stepped over, introduced himself, and started talking. Bored, Freddy started to move away.

“Hey,” Roy said, catching Freddy mid-step. “Do not wander off.”

“Okay.”

But Roy was still talking to those girls and Freddy was still bored. He got tired of just standing there, so he moved over to the building wall and leaned back against it.

As he waited, he saw students from the class he’d just been in, as well as the professor. Not wanting to deal with them again right now, he eased around the wall until he could peek at them from the other side.

Those students had laughed when Freddy had corrected the teacher. Then they’d stared at him when they found out he was right. Stared at him like he was a freak.

He wasn’t a freak! Toni said he was smart and amazing! And Toni was never wrong. Not ever!

He hated school.

“Hi,” a female voice said from behind him. Freddy looked over his shoulder. She was old. Like Toni’s age old. But real pretty with dark hair and bright eyes. She was dressed real nice, too. And she had a pretty smile.

“Hi,” Freddy said back.

“Could you help me?”

Freddy faced her. “Help you?”

“I lost my puppy and I was hoping that—”

“Stranger danger!” Freddy screamed, just like Toni had always taught him. Well, he didn’t remember the exact words she’d taught him to say, but the screaming should be enough. “Stranger danger!”

The woman’s pretty face changed. First she looked shocked, then she was angry and she reached for him. So, still screaming, Freddy started swinging his arms and kicking his feet.

The woman squealed when he got her right in the knee, and that’s when he took off running around the building. And the entire time he screamed, “Stranger danger! Stranger danger!”

He was looking for Roy, but Freddy saw Toni running right for him. He knew he’d be safe with her, and he dived into her arms. She lifted him up, and Freddy wrapped his arms around her neck and his legs around her waist, holding on tight.

“What happened?” Toni demanded, shaking him just a bit. “What happened?”

Freddy pointed at the corner of the building. “A woman. She tried to grab me.”

Toni held him tighter while Ricky Lee and Roy took off running. Another man, he said his name was Vic and he was there to protect Freddy’s sister, stood by them. He looked mean and ready to hurt people. The big students started moving away from them, giving them space.

“Are you all right?” Vic asked. Freddy realized the man wasn’t mean. Not like that lady had been mean. He was concerned. Freddy’s dad got that way sometimes. Like when Cherise panicked when a possum jumped out at her from behind a tree at their house and knocked herself out cold by running into another tree. The rest of them were laughing, but Daddy had looked upset and yelled at her and everyone else. Freddy finally figured out it was because he was worried about her. Worried Cherise had hurt herself bad. That was how Vic looked right now.

And although Freddy knew Vic would protect them, and that he was big enough and strong enough to do it, that didn’t matter. Not to Freddy. Not when he was holding on to his sister and knew without a doubt that he was safe.

Because with Toni, Freddy knew he’d always be safe.

Ricky charged around that corner, catching sight of a long leg seconds before it disappeared inside the passenger side of a car, the door closing behind it.

“Stay with Toni!” he ordered Roy.

“Wait—”

“Just do it!”