Read Online 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carmen Rodrigues
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said otherwise.
“God, do something about this already, Jess.” Lola gave me a look that usually meant that I had done something wrong, even if that something was not doing anything at all.
“Come on, Meg.” I picked up a pillow and tossed it lightly at her head.
“Hey!” She dodged the pillow, a hurt expression spreading across her face. “It’s my house too!”
“But not your room,” Lola said.
“Fine. I’ll just go watch Sarah make out with Tommy by myself, then.”
There was a bit of silence. It was the first time either of us had heard about Sarah and Tommy. I glanced at Lola. She looked as shocked as I felt. Meg, guessing she had revealed a really juicy secret, let her smile grow until it covered half her face.
Lola spoke first. Her voice sounded almost calm, but I could hear the underlying tremble. “You’re lying.”
Meg’s smile faltered. “No, I’m not.”
Lola shot off the bed and partly waddled, partly hopped over to Meg. “You’re lying!” she said again. Meg took a step back, her entire body shrinking inward.
“I—I’m not,” she stammered. “I’m not.” She looked to me, then back to Lola, her mouth hanging partially open.
Lola snapped her fingers in front of Meg’s face. “Details. Now .”
Meg took a deep breath and began to tell us a complicated story about playing hide-and-go-seek with some of the neighborhood kids. Lola interrupted her and said, “Just get to the end.”
“Well,” Meg said, “I hid behind the cottage, and that’s when I heard Sarah’s voice, and . . .” She paused to catch her breath. “She and Tommy were totally in his room, making out!”
“Fuck me!” Lola said, and Meg’s eyes grew wide. We weren’t allowed to curse in the house or anywhere else.
“You can’t say those words,” Meg said. “Jess, tell her she can’t say that.”
Lola tore the cotton balls from between her toes, shoved her flip-flops on, and waved her arms at me impatiently. “What are you waiting for, Jess?”
I was waiting for her common sense to kick in, but I didn’tsay that. Instead I said, “No, thanks,” and looked back at my feet.
“You’re going,” she said.
“Nope. Sarah can make out with Tommy even if he is disgusting,” I told her. “We can’t just spy on them.”
She gave me an intense look I couldn’t quite read, grabbed my flip-flops, and shoved them into my hands. “You’re going.”
Once we got outside, Lola stopped in front of Jake’s house and said, “We can just go through that side gate.” She pointed to a path on the left side of the house and squared her shoulders like she was preparing for battle.
“Honestly, I don’t get why this is such a big deal to you.”
“Just come on,” she said, and started toward the path, but I held steady. A second later, Meg was standing beside me.
“I want to come!” She tugged at her jeans, which had ridden up on her thighs so that her ankles stuck out awkwardly. I felt bad for her. Eleven was one of those ages where you were caught between so many phases. You were too young to stay up late, but old enough to get your period. You had to wear bras, even though you barely had boobs. And boys wanted to kiss you, not because they liked you, but because someone dared them to. But the worst part about being eleven was realizing that your older sister, the person you always considered your best friend, wasn’t even your friend at all.
Lola turned back, her eyes narrowing at Meg. “Effing A, Meg. Go home. You’re too young for this shit.”
“I’m only four years younger than you guys,” Meg protested.
“Oh, God. Jess, please .” Lola raised her arms in frustration.
“Meg,” I said, ignoring her pleading look, “you have to go.”
But Meg didn’t budge, and I admired her for her toughness.
“Look at this shit,” Lola muttered. She crossed toward Meg and barked meanly into her face, “Go home, you little squirt!”
Meg’s eyes filled with tears. “Jess?”
I
“God, do something about this already, Jess.” Lola gave me a look that usually meant that I had done something wrong, even if that something was not doing anything at all.
“Come on, Meg.” I picked up a pillow and tossed it lightly at her head.
“Hey!” She dodged the pillow, a hurt expression spreading across her face. “It’s my house too!”
“But not your room,” Lola said.
“Fine. I’ll just go watch Sarah make out with Tommy by myself, then.”
There was a bit of silence. It was the first time either of us had heard about Sarah and Tommy. I glanced at Lola. She looked as shocked as I felt. Meg, guessing she had revealed a really juicy secret, let her smile grow until it covered half her face.
Lola spoke first. Her voice sounded almost calm, but I could hear the underlying tremble. “You’re lying.”
Meg’s smile faltered. “No, I’m not.”
Lola shot off the bed and partly waddled, partly hopped over to Meg. “You’re lying!” she said again. Meg took a step back, her entire body shrinking inward.
“I—I’m not,” she stammered. “I’m not.” She looked to me, then back to Lola, her mouth hanging partially open.
Lola snapped her fingers in front of Meg’s face. “Details. Now .”
Meg took a deep breath and began to tell us a complicated story about playing hide-and-go-seek with some of the neighborhood kids. Lola interrupted her and said, “Just get to the end.”
“Well,” Meg said, “I hid behind the cottage, and that’s when I heard Sarah’s voice, and . . .” She paused to catch her breath. “She and Tommy were totally in his room, making out!”
“Fuck me!” Lola said, and Meg’s eyes grew wide. We weren’t allowed to curse in the house or anywhere else.
“You can’t say those words,” Meg said. “Jess, tell her she can’t say that.”
Lola tore the cotton balls from between her toes, shoved her flip-flops on, and waved her arms at me impatiently. “What are you waiting for, Jess?”
I was waiting for her common sense to kick in, but I didn’tsay that. Instead I said, “No, thanks,” and looked back at my feet.
“You’re going,” she said.
“Nope. Sarah can make out with Tommy even if he is disgusting,” I told her. “We can’t just spy on them.”
She gave me an intense look I couldn’t quite read, grabbed my flip-flops, and shoved them into my hands. “You’re going.”
Once we got outside, Lola stopped in front of Jake’s house and said, “We can just go through that side gate.” She pointed to a path on the left side of the house and squared her shoulders like she was preparing for battle.
“Honestly, I don’t get why this is such a big deal to you.”
“Just come on,” she said, and started toward the path, but I held steady. A second later, Meg was standing beside me.
“I want to come!” She tugged at her jeans, which had ridden up on her thighs so that her ankles stuck out awkwardly. I felt bad for her. Eleven was one of those ages where you were caught between so many phases. You were too young to stay up late, but old enough to get your period. You had to wear bras, even though you barely had boobs. And boys wanted to kiss you, not because they liked you, but because someone dared them to. But the worst part about being eleven was realizing that your older sister, the person you always considered your best friend, wasn’t even your friend at all.
Lola turned back, her eyes narrowing at Meg. “Effing A, Meg. Go home. You’re too young for this shit.”
“I’m only four years younger than you guys,” Meg protested.
“Oh, God. Jess, please .” Lola raised her arms in frustration.
“Meg,” I said, ignoring her pleading look, “you have to go.”
But Meg didn’t budge, and I admired her for her toughness.
“Look at this shit,” Lola muttered. She crossed toward Meg and barked meanly into her face, “Go home, you little squirt!”
Meg’s eyes filled with tears. “Jess?”
I
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