Read Online Better Left Buried by Belinda Frisch - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Belinda Frisch
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glances across the parking lot and jumped when Harmony called her name.
The color drained from Brea’s face as she took her books from Jaxon and said, “You have to go.”
Harmony was great at reading lips.
Jaxon looked unthrilled, but was out of sight by the time she got to where he’d been standing.
“What was that all about?”
Brea shook her head. “Nothing. He’s part of some stupid church group thing my mother makes me go to.”
“Really? This isn’t church group. It’s school.”
Brea looked down, blushing. “I know, but he wanted to talk about it. It’s nothing. Honest.”
“If you say so.”
The warning bell rang and the straggling students hurried toward the main entrance. Harmony waited for the last bus to exit the parking loop and pulled Brea’s sleeve.
“What?” She stopped before going inside.
“Come on. I need to show you something.”
“Harm , I can’t skip class again or I’m never going to take my road test. My mother—”
“ Shh. Just come on. I’ll have you back by second period. They won’t even call her.”
“But—”
“Brea, it’s important.” She made sure the coast was clear before ducking down the hiking path they used to walk the half-mile in gym class. Brea reluctantly followed.
“Where are we going?”
Harmony cut off the trail and headed into the woods backing County Route 32. “Not far. Will you just trust me?”
“ I do trust you, but if my mother finds out—”
“Then you can ask her why she didn’t mention being attacked by mine.”
“Wait, what ?” Brea stopped between the tree line and the shoulder when a car appeared. “What are you talking about?”
“ Remember when she got arrested? Apparently, there was some sort of cat fight between her and your mother.” Brea’s jaw went slack. “Looks like you’re not the only one keeping secrets.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Harmony blew a strand of hair from in front of her face. “Really? You’re going to play stupid with me? What did I just walk in on with Jaxon?” An extended silence was all the answer she needed. The car passed and she tugged Brea along.
“I was going to tell you, I just—”
“Save it, all right? Just don’t.” Harmony cut across an overgrown lawn to the abandoned house that had been foreclosed on in early spring. The notices covering the front door were weathered, unreadable.
Harmony pulled her student ID card from her wallet and forced it into the gap between the door and the jamb. She wiggled and pushed it until the lock gave. There had been plenty of nights before agreeing to stay with Adam that she’d refused to go home. This was one of the few places she didn’t mind staying. The lock popped and the door swung open.
“Get in.”
Brea shook her head. “I don’t want to. Do you know what’ll happen if we get caught trespassing?”
“We won’t get caug ht. Get in before someone sees.” Harmony pulled Brea inside and locked the door behind them.
“What are we doing here?”
Harmony unbuttoned her jacket at the wrist and rolled up her sleeve. She peeled back the white medical tape holding the rectangle of gauze in place and showed Brea the cuts. “I need your help.”
“Jesus, Harmony.” Brea exami ned the angry cuts that, while superficial, appeared menacing against Harmony’s pale skin. “So, you’re cutting now? What the hell?”
“I’m not cutting, Brea. Get serious.”
“Then why did you do that?”
“Honestly? I don’t think I did.” The events of the previous night were hazy, the details about how and when she got cut less clear than others. “That’s why I need your help.” She set her backpack on the hardwood stairs and took out something wrapped in a square of flannel. She unrolled the bundle and handed Brea a small drinking glass from inside. “I read about this.”
“ Harm, those books are making you—”
“ They’re making me what? Nuts? Confused? What’s your label for me?” She’d
The color drained from Brea’s face as she took her books from Jaxon and said, “You have to go.”
Harmony was great at reading lips.
Jaxon looked unthrilled, but was out of sight by the time she got to where he’d been standing.
“What was that all about?”
Brea shook her head. “Nothing. He’s part of some stupid church group thing my mother makes me go to.”
“Really? This isn’t church group. It’s school.”
Brea looked down, blushing. “I know, but he wanted to talk about it. It’s nothing. Honest.”
“If you say so.”
The warning bell rang and the straggling students hurried toward the main entrance. Harmony waited for the last bus to exit the parking loop and pulled Brea’s sleeve.
“What?” She stopped before going inside.
“Come on. I need to show you something.”
“Harm , I can’t skip class again or I’m never going to take my road test. My mother—”
“ Shh. Just come on. I’ll have you back by second period. They won’t even call her.”
“But—”
“Brea, it’s important.” She made sure the coast was clear before ducking down the hiking path they used to walk the half-mile in gym class. Brea reluctantly followed.
“Where are we going?”
Harmony cut off the trail and headed into the woods backing County Route 32. “Not far. Will you just trust me?”
“ I do trust you, but if my mother finds out—”
“Then you can ask her why she didn’t mention being attacked by mine.”
“Wait, what ?” Brea stopped between the tree line and the shoulder when a car appeared. “What are you talking about?”
“ Remember when she got arrested? Apparently, there was some sort of cat fight between her and your mother.” Brea’s jaw went slack. “Looks like you’re not the only one keeping secrets.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Harmony blew a strand of hair from in front of her face. “Really? You’re going to play stupid with me? What did I just walk in on with Jaxon?” An extended silence was all the answer she needed. The car passed and she tugged Brea along.
“I was going to tell you, I just—”
“Save it, all right? Just don’t.” Harmony cut across an overgrown lawn to the abandoned house that had been foreclosed on in early spring. The notices covering the front door were weathered, unreadable.
Harmony pulled her student ID card from her wallet and forced it into the gap between the door and the jamb. She wiggled and pushed it until the lock gave. There had been plenty of nights before agreeing to stay with Adam that she’d refused to go home. This was one of the few places she didn’t mind staying. The lock popped and the door swung open.
“Get in.”
Brea shook her head. “I don’t want to. Do you know what’ll happen if we get caught trespassing?”
“We won’t get caug ht. Get in before someone sees.” Harmony pulled Brea inside and locked the door behind them.
“What are we doing here?”
Harmony unbuttoned her jacket at the wrist and rolled up her sleeve. She peeled back the white medical tape holding the rectangle of gauze in place and showed Brea the cuts. “I need your help.”
“Jesus, Harmony.” Brea exami ned the angry cuts that, while superficial, appeared menacing against Harmony’s pale skin. “So, you’re cutting now? What the hell?”
“I’m not cutting, Brea. Get serious.”
“Then why did you do that?”
“Honestly? I don’t think I did.” The events of the previous night were hazy, the details about how and when she got cut less clear than others. “That’s why I need your help.” She set her backpack on the hardwood stairs and took out something wrapped in a square of flannel. She unrolled the bundle and handed Brea a small drinking glass from inside. “I read about this.”
“ Harm, those books are making you—”
“ They’re making me what? Nuts? Confused? What’s your label for me?” She’d
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