Read Online Common Ground (The Common Ground Trilogy Book 1) by Barry Chaison - Free Book Online Page A

you’re going to actually have fun. After Liam called, I went downstairs and talked to Hope and Steph, and they were both stoked to go. We will have our party another time.”
    “Hope was excited to go?” I asked skeptically. “You’ve got to be kidding. She’s even shyer than me!”
    “I wouldn’t say excited necessarily,” she trailed off. “But Steph’s excitement must have rubbed off on her a little, because she agreed to go.”
    I sighed heavily, knowing full well that Hope was being dragged along against her will.
    “Alright, I’ll go too, but I will not stay late and I’m definitely not going to drink anything,” I demanded.
    “We’ll see about that,” Annie said mischievously as she stood up and left the room. I picked up the TV remote and flipped it on, wondering what kind of sadistic plan Annie had cooked up for me at the frat party.
     
    The first week of classes flew by in such a blur, I hardly had time to say hello to Mark and Marie while Annie talked to them Friday afternoon. The pressure of classes didn’t take as much of a toll on her as I had anticipated. She used her schedule everyday, and had stayed home every night during the week to study and write some of her Perspectives essay, which I had already finished a week earlier. Her newfound dedication to school had impressed me so much that the prospect of Liam’s party didn’t seem as daunting as it originally had. I began to think that if Annie could change her habits so quickly, maybe I could too. As I walked in the door, it seemed Mark wasn’t as sold on the new and improved Annie either.
    “Keep your mind on your schoolwork!” I heard him bellow as Annie pulled the phone away from her ear. She just rolled her eyes and held it out for a minute while Mark finished his tirade. I covered my mouth, trying to hold back the laughter building in my gut.
    “Okay dad, you done?” she said, pulling the phone back once it was quiet. “Yeah, yeah, I hear ya, tell mom I say hello.  I love you both, call you next week, bye!” she flipped her phone closed and collapsed on the futon next to me, watching as I unloaded my bag to get my books out.
    “Oh come on… really?” she sighed a minute later, with a look of pity and disappointment spread across her face.
    “What? I have a lot of homework this weekend!”
    She just shook her head and leaned back on the sofa. “This is what I’ve been talking about Zoe. You have to want to go out and have fun, not just expect it to come to you. If you don’t loosen up a little, you’re going to turn out worse than my dad. Is that what you want?”
    Her words were harsh, but true. I stared at the cover of my statistics book for a moment, and then snapped it shut and shoved it back into my bag.
    “You’re right Ann. You’ve been working so hard this week, keeping up your end of the bargain. I think it’s time I start to hold up my end.”
    “Really?” she asked, giving me a skeptical look.
    “Yeah! As a matter of fact, why don’t we go out and get some dinner before we come back and get ready for the party?”
    “Ok, who are you, and what have you done with my Zoe?” she said, still sounding skeptical.
    “You go get ready and I’ll check to see if Steph, Hope and the others want to go with us,” I laughed, suddenly feeling ready and excited for a night full of changes.
    “You have no idea how stunned I am right now,” she gasped, slowly rising from the couch.
    I smiled as the bathroom door slammed shut. For the first time in a while, I could help but agree with Annie’s assessment of my life.
    **************************************
    It was still miserably hot outside as we met up with everyone outside our condo, ready to make the trek to the fraternity house.
    “It’s already 10,” I said anxiously to Annie, checking my watch. “Is it okay that we’re late?”
    “Nobody ever shows up on time to parties this big,” Annie said coolly as all eight of us walked through campus in our