[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.On the big comfy chair in Lori’s room, I sniff and wipe my face with the back of my hand.We turn on some music and wait for the phone to ring with an update on Nanny.I text Ethan to tell him what happened, but he doesn’t respond.I dial his number and get voice mail.Lori makes a bowl of popcorn and brings in a couple of drinks, but I’m not hungry.My gut is filled with worry.The doorbel rings, and Lori turns down the CD player.We hear a deep voice from the living room.I close my eyes.Don’t let it be bad news.In another minute, there’s a quick knock on the bedroom door.My palms are damp; I can’t breathe.“Come in,” Lori says.Jack peers around the side of the door.He puts his hands up in surrender.“I come in peace,” he says.“Get in here, idiot.” Lori has a way with words.Jack’s got on his Geronimo’s T-shirt, and the scent of coffee enters the room with him.“Hey,” he says, facing me but looking at the carpet.“I heard.” He peeks up quickly, then lowers his eyes again just as fast.“How is she—”“She’s going to be fine,” I say, cutting him off.An uncomfortable silence settles in the room.I never thought it would be like this with Jack.“Here, I brought you this.” He smiles with his jaw clenched and holds out a small, rectangular box wrapped in metallic pink paper and stuck with a pink bow.“I wasn’t sure I’d still be invited to the party.Or if you’ll even have one.So I thought I’d give it to you now.”“There weren’t going to be any presents.” I sound so rude.“But thanks,” I add, too late.He raises his eyes and stares at me full on.“Look, I’m 183trying to cheer you up.” He tosses the box on the bed.“Chill, dude.No need for drama,” Lori interjects, trying to break up this horrible tension.I sit up and reach across the bed to grab the gift.“You want me to open it now?” And again my words are like sandpaper on skin, rubbing him raw.He’s silent, then he sighs.“Open it, don’t open it—whatever.Do whatever the hell you want; you always do anyway.”And before I can process his words, he’s gone and the front door slams.“Jerk!” I shout, as if he can hear me.Though I suspect I am the real jerk here.I can’t help myself, though.I feel like an empty bag, crumpled up and thrown away.“Oh, come on,” Lori says.“Stop it.”“What?” I shrug.“Sheridan.” She rolls from her back onto her stomach and faces me.“I love you like a sister, but you can be a real moron.”I settle myself back into the soft chair cushions, way too tired to argue with that statement.“And why am I such a moron? Please enlighten me.”She laughs.“Because you are as blind as a freaking bat.That boy is so in love with you.He’d do anything for you.He does do anything for you.”“Right.” I pick at the blanket draped over the arm of the chair.“Well, I do stuff for him, too.We’re friends.”“Oh, you bring him coffee in the middle of the night and 184do his chem labs? You spend hours searching the Internet for his AWOL mother? You go for a run whenever he calls, just because you want to be with him—even though you hate to run?”“He hates to run?”“See, what did I tell you? Blind as a bat.”“No.I’m not totally blind,” I sulk.“You mean you know?”“I suspected.”“I mean, really, look at that gift.For my last birthday he gave me a bag of M&M’s wrapped up in the Sunday com-ics.”I moan, hold my head in my hands, feel its weight.Tears start brewing again, getting ready to drop.“I can’t think about this right now.”“Yeah, you need this like a hole in the head.But it’s Jack.And he’s trying to figure stuff out, too.He hates Ethan for a reason, besides the fact that he is kind of an ass.” My head snaps up.“Well, he is, honey.But that’s a whole other conversation.The problem is, Ethan’s your boyfriend.This is not just a crush; this is the real deal.Jack’s freaking out.”I sniff.Shake my head.Could things get any worse than they are right at this moment? I suppose I could contract the bubonic plague or something.That might make it worse.“You know,” Lori continues, “I’m all for playing the field.I mean, we’re only teenagers once.But I think you need to remember who your friends are.” She stands up and shoos 185me out of my chair.It opens up into a sleeper and will be my bed tonight.“I know you’re my friend.”“You’d better.” She picks off the cushions and throws them in the corner, then pulls out the bed.“But you know, you can get a bit, um, distracted, with your cakes.And now Ethan.”“I’m sorry.” My throat tightens.“I know.I just wish he told me he liked me.I mean, before Ethan happened.”“Right.Sheridan.He’s scared
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]