He heard a knock at the door, and his heart leapt in his chest. He scrambled to get dressed and wondered what to say to Charlie. He knew she would ask him what he was talking about the night before, and he debated telling her he was sleepwalking, but even that seemed outlandish.
“Coming!” he called out, pulling on his socks.
He cleared his throat and poised his body as he opened the door, only to be greeted by Charlie’s father. Hammer’s face fell, and he adjusted his posture accordingly.
“Mr. Jackson,” he said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“I would like to have a word with you, Hammer.”
Mr. Jackson wasted no time walking into Hammer’s room without an invitation. Hammer’s heart thumped in his chest, wondering what he could want.
Charlie’s father sat in one of the chairs by th
