Read Online Burned by Ellen Hopkins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ellen Hopkins
Tags: Religión, Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Sex, Psychology, Social Issues, Religious, Christian, Christianity, Parents, Values & Virtues, Teenage girls, Psychopathology, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Aunts, Problem families, Dysfunctional families, Identity, Alcoholism, Drugs; Alcohol; Substance Abuse, Addiction, Nevada, Physical & Emotional Abuse, Novels in Verse, Family Problems, Identity (Psychology), Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon), Mormons
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afinishing nail.
Aunt J chuckled, then gestured in my direction. I'd like you to meet my niece Pattyn. She's visiting mefor the summer.
Pleased to make your acquaintance, Pattyn. His eyes, filled with assessment, drew level with mine. Pretty name.
I nodded, afraid my voice might stick to my tongue. Aunt
J saved me major embarrassment. How's your father coping?
Ethan's smile dried up like a summer mud puddle.
He 's okay, I guess. But she left a pretty big hole.
I know she did, Ethan, soothed Aunt J. Let me know
if you need any thing at all, and give your dad my best.
211
We Drove Off in Opposite Directions
Ethan's big Dodge cruised smoothly
south on the asphalt, while Aunt J's
old Ford stuttered north in the dirt, with me, Pattyn (pretty name!), behind the wheel.
Aunt J stared out the window, mired in some daydream. Where her mind
had wandered, I couldn't say.
Anyway, my own mind was glued on Ethan.
How did he and Aunt J know each other?
Who was the woman whose memory
snatched away his incredible
smile? Could someone like me give it back?
Aunt J knew most of those answers, of course. But I sensed she wasn't in the mood to discuss them. And
I wasn't quite ready to admit
my budding infatuation.
212
I found a big, wide turnaround place, did an about-face, and putted back to the ranch house, still stuck on Ethan and how I might get to know him.
Turned out it wasn't hard at all.
213
J ournal Entry, June 7
Yesterday I thought riding a horse was an accomplishment. Today
I learned how to drive. 1 think
I did pretty good, too. At least,
I didn't run into anything or hlow up Aunt J's pickup.
It wasn't exactly legal, I know.
But Aunt J said it was her property, she'd danin well do as she pleased, and, besides, some laws were meant to be broken--laws made for no
reason but to keep good people in check.
She said the government was like an impatient cowboy--quick to hobble a spirited horse until it wasn't good. for anything but dogfood.
I also met Ethan today. He is by far the most beautiful man I've
ever seen. Aunt J said he's a college
sophomore, which must mean he goes to College. I wonder where.
No "institutes of higher learning"
out here in the sticks, I'll bet.
214
I wonder why l'm wondering about him at all. He's so out of my
league. Ah, who cares? At least
he's giving me something to think about besides the mess I left behind in Carson City.
I've been here eleven days, and they
haven't called once to check up on me, or even just to say hi.
Won't Dad croak when he finds
out Aunt J taught me to drive?
He'll have to lock up his keys.
If he ever lets me come home.
215
On Saturday
After breakfast and chores, Aunt J said she needed to run into Panaca to pick up supplies from the feed störe.
She tossed me the keys. You drive. Practice makes perfect.
It was my first time on an honest-to-goodness road.
Aunt J played with the radio, looking for country I'llnes.
She barely even flinched the time or two I miscalculated, spinning the tires up the dirt Shoulder, then back to asphalt.
The second time, I said, "Okay, that had to scare you."
She quit fiddling with knobs and looked over.
Fve made it through some god-awful things, Pattyn.
Nothing much can scare me. No sir, not anymore.
She opened the window wide, inviting the wind.
I'd connected with Aunt J in a special way, yet how
little I knew about her. She had trusted me with her truck. Would she trust me enough to confide secrets?
"What awful things, Aunt J? Tell me, please."
I didn't dare take my eyes off the road, but I felt her withdrawal into that distant place deep inside.
We bumped along for several silent minutes, as she settled into the indefinable space where she needed to be.
216
And if we hadn't crossed the railroad tracks, signaling the highway's imminent approach, she might
have broken down and told me everything right then.
Instead she said, I'd better drive from here.
I pulled over, remembered to push the
Aunt J chuckled, then gestured in my direction. I'd like you to meet my niece Pattyn. She's visiting mefor the summer.
Pleased to make your acquaintance, Pattyn. His eyes, filled with assessment, drew level with mine. Pretty name.
I nodded, afraid my voice might stick to my tongue. Aunt
J saved me major embarrassment. How's your father coping?
Ethan's smile dried up like a summer mud puddle.
He 's okay, I guess. But she left a pretty big hole.
I know she did, Ethan, soothed Aunt J. Let me know
if you need any thing at all, and give your dad my best.
211
We Drove Off in Opposite Directions
Ethan's big Dodge cruised smoothly
south on the asphalt, while Aunt J's
old Ford stuttered north in the dirt, with me, Pattyn (pretty name!), behind the wheel.
Aunt J stared out the window, mired in some daydream. Where her mind
had wandered, I couldn't say.
Anyway, my own mind was glued on Ethan.
How did he and Aunt J know each other?
Who was the woman whose memory
snatched away his incredible
smile? Could someone like me give it back?
Aunt J knew most of those answers, of course. But I sensed she wasn't in the mood to discuss them. And
I wasn't quite ready to admit
my budding infatuation.
212
I found a big, wide turnaround place, did an about-face, and putted back to the ranch house, still stuck on Ethan and how I might get to know him.
Turned out it wasn't hard at all.
213
J ournal Entry, June 7
Yesterday I thought riding a horse was an accomplishment. Today
I learned how to drive. 1 think
I did pretty good, too. At least,
I didn't run into anything or hlow up Aunt J's pickup.
It wasn't exactly legal, I know.
But Aunt J said it was her property, she'd danin well do as she pleased, and, besides, some laws were meant to be broken--laws made for no
reason but to keep good people in check.
She said the government was like an impatient cowboy--quick to hobble a spirited horse until it wasn't good. for anything but dogfood.
I also met Ethan today. He is by far the most beautiful man I've
ever seen. Aunt J said he's a college
sophomore, which must mean he goes to College. I wonder where.
No "institutes of higher learning"
out here in the sticks, I'll bet.
214
I wonder why l'm wondering about him at all. He's so out of my
league. Ah, who cares? At least
he's giving me something to think about besides the mess I left behind in Carson City.
I've been here eleven days, and they
haven't called once to check up on me, or even just to say hi.
Won't Dad croak when he finds
out Aunt J taught me to drive?
He'll have to lock up his keys.
If he ever lets me come home.
215
On Saturday
After breakfast and chores, Aunt J said she needed to run into Panaca to pick up supplies from the feed störe.
She tossed me the keys. You drive. Practice makes perfect.
It was my first time on an honest-to-goodness road.
Aunt J played with the radio, looking for country I'llnes.
She barely even flinched the time or two I miscalculated, spinning the tires up the dirt Shoulder, then back to asphalt.
The second time, I said, "Okay, that had to scare you."
She quit fiddling with knobs and looked over.
Fve made it through some god-awful things, Pattyn.
Nothing much can scare me. No sir, not anymore.
She opened the window wide, inviting the wind.
I'd connected with Aunt J in a special way, yet how
little I knew about her. She had trusted me with her truck. Would she trust me enough to confide secrets?
"What awful things, Aunt J? Tell me, please."
I didn't dare take my eyes off the road, but I felt her withdrawal into that distant place deep inside.
We bumped along for several silent minutes, as she settled into the indefinable space where she needed to be.
216
And if we hadn't crossed the railroad tracks, signaling the highway's imminent approach, she might
have broken down and told me everything right then.
Instead she said, I'd better drive from here.
I pulled over, remembered to push the
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