Educated

My instincts told me to let go of the saddle horn—the only thing keeping me on the horse. If I let go I’d fall, but I’d have a p ...

pulled taut; the bit forced Bud’s head up and forward. With his head raised, Bud could no longer buck and he entered a smooth, r ...

12 Fish Eyes My brother Tony had taken out a loan to buy his own rig—a semi and trailer —but in order to make the payments, he h ...

they reached uncomfortably toward the inside of my forearm. He continued to add pressure until I twisted slightly, wrapping my a ...

Another voice came over the CB to complain about a red Ferrari that was weaving through traffic at 120 miles per hour. “Bastard ...

just grabbed whatever she’d brought him and kept walking toward the corral. She would follow and try to talk to him while he fus ...

back to Shawn. Sadie placed the Snickers in his palm like a peace offering and waited, staring at the carpet. Shawn pulled her o ...

I fetched the water. As I handed it over, I saw the smile on his face and without thinking dumped the whole thing on his head. I ...

into the mirror at the girl clutching her wrist. Her eyes were glassy and drops slid down her cheeks. I hated her for her weakne ...

13 Silence in the Churches In September the twin towers fell. I’d never heard of them until they were gone. Then I watched as pl ...

That something else thrilled and frightened me. I’d always known that I would grow differently than my brothers, but I’d never t ...

“I saw you talking to Charles,” he said. “You don’t want people thinking you’re that kind of girl.” “The kind that talks?” “You ...

engine rev as it guzzled diesel, watching the yellow lines disappear beneath the hood. I thought of my brother as he had been, a ...

upright. The kitchen was spinning; strange flecks of pink and yellow drifted before my eyes. Mother was sobbing, clawing at her ...

his younger brother—less vicious but powerful in his own way—was more than he’d bargained for. “What’s going on?” Tyler repeated ...

I thought about my body, all the ways it had changed. I hardly knew what I felt toward it: sometimes I did want it to be noticed ...

“Have you thought about leaving?” Tyler asked. “And go where?” “School,” he said. I brightened. “I’m going to enroll in high sch ...

“Doorknob’s broke,” I lied. “Door blows open. This lock was cheap but it’ll do the trick.” Shawn fingered the thick steel, which ...

14 My Feet No Longer Touch Earth In October Dad won a contract to build industrial granaries in Malad City, the dusty farmtown o ...

Tyler called one night just as I was getting home from work. He asked if I was studying for the ACT. “I can’t take the test,” I ...