Read Online Crank by Ellen Hopkins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ellen Hopkins
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Psychology, Social Issues, Young Adult Fiction, Health & Fitness, Pregnancy & Childbirth, Parents, Schools, Psychopathology, Dating & Sex, High schools, Pregnancy, Problem families, Drugs; Alcohol; Substance Abuse, Addiction, Novels in Verse, drug abuse, Family Problems, Cocaine abuse
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him.
If she wanted him. Her game was no
less dangerous than his. "Call me Bree."
252
Right Then, Three People
shouted, "Kristina!"
Time to beat a face-saving retreat, so
I smiled and told Chase I'd catch him later.
* *
I looked around and saw Mom, waving to come and eat,
* *
Leigh, minus Jake, gesturing to come share a towel,
* *
Sarah, at the top of Black Widow, watching Trent's wet ride down.
* *
"Not hungry yet," I shouted to Mom.
To Leigh, "Be there in a few."
* *
Then I joined my oldest, bestest
friends in the world, tried to think of something to talk about besides lifeguards, bad boys,
253
and this person named Bree, growing stronger inside me, convincing me to be someone
I never dreamed I'd want to be.
* *
I know you should be able to share such news with best friends, but I felt pretty sure they'd never
relate and maybe refuse to forgive
* *
me for trading in the tried-and-true for a test drive of the dark side.
254
S
till, When Brendan Came By
I left my friends with my sister, took a walk to the back of the park, the eyes in back of my head noting envious stares.
Brendan noticed, too.
You related to those people?
"Pretty much." I bummed a cigarette, inhaled like it was the healthiest
thing a person could do.
The pretty one looks like you,
but the others don't.
My turn for a jealous jolt. But I had a secret
weapon. "The pretty one is my lesbian
sister. The others are my cousins."
Lesbian! Really? I never met
one before. How about you?
I laughed. "Of course I've met one, if my
sister is one. Oh, you mean do I lean that
direction? No way. I prefer male hardware."
I
like what you've got, too, li'l
sister. At least, what I can se
e.
Male hardware? Must have read it in
Cosmo.
Whatever. Brendan touched my hair, made a move like he just might kiss me....
255
Damn. There's my boss. Back
to work. Call me, okay?
I wondered if I could. I'd always waited for boys to call me. Which is why I never
talked to any except Trent. And Adam.
By the way, beautiful, what's
your name? In case you call.
Twice in one day! I almost told him the truth but realized the fantasy was better and rested completely in Bree's hands.
256
I
Went Home
tired, tanned, and stuffed on barbecue,
Scott insisted
high on life, nicotine, and purloined booze,
Chase invited
elated, pumped
up, full of Bree's
magical ego,
Brendan inflated
chastised, brought
back down a notch or two,
Leigh instigated
then all the way, chest-deep into shit when
Mom finally noticed the tattoo, my
meaningless, forever
symbol of love. Still,
Bree swore
257
whatever
punishment
lay ahead, only one thing
could have
improved
that phat, fabulous day:
* * a big bite of the monster.
258
Grounded UFN
Until further notice. No
excursions, no calls.
How unfair could you get?
Couldn't she just decide how mad to be, then mold the consequences to fit?
I'm so disappointed in you!
What else was new? She was only good with "all I could be" when it involved a straight-A report card.
Don't you realize this could
scar you forever?
Well, duh, Mom. It already had, though not in the way you imagined.
Couldn't you have asked about that?
Why can't you be more
like your sister?
Did she mean look more like her? Be
PhD bound? Or maybe she wanted me
gay? Lesbians and pregnancy rarely mix.
How can I trust you to make
good decisions?
259
Oh, great. Here it came. No driver's
training, no driver's license. Their
way of keeping me cooped up forever.
Driver's training is on hold.
And to keep you from feeling
cooped up, you can pull weeds.
Fine. I was almost 17, would never
drive, and now I'd spend my summer
yanking goats' heads.
260
T
he
Pr
oblem with Being
If she wanted him. Her game was no
less dangerous than his. "Call me Bree."
252
Right Then, Three People
shouted, "Kristina!"
Time to beat a face-saving retreat, so
I smiled and told Chase I'd catch him later.
* *
I looked around and saw Mom, waving to come and eat,
* *
Leigh, minus Jake, gesturing to come share a towel,
* *
Sarah, at the top of Black Widow, watching Trent's wet ride down.
* *
"Not hungry yet," I shouted to Mom.
To Leigh, "Be there in a few."
* *
Then I joined my oldest, bestest
friends in the world, tried to think of something to talk about besides lifeguards, bad boys,
253
and this person named Bree, growing stronger inside me, convincing me to be someone
I never dreamed I'd want to be.
* *
I know you should be able to share such news with best friends, but I felt pretty sure they'd never
relate and maybe refuse to forgive
* *
me for trading in the tried-and-true for a test drive of the dark side.
254
S
till, When Brendan Came By
I left my friends with my sister, took a walk to the back of the park, the eyes in back of my head noting envious stares.
Brendan noticed, too.
You related to those people?
"Pretty much." I bummed a cigarette, inhaled like it was the healthiest
thing a person could do.
The pretty one looks like you,
but the others don't.
My turn for a jealous jolt. But I had a secret
weapon. "The pretty one is my lesbian
sister. The others are my cousins."
Lesbian! Really? I never met
one before. How about you?
I laughed. "Of course I've met one, if my
sister is one. Oh, you mean do I lean that
direction? No way. I prefer male hardware."
I
like what you've got, too, li'l
sister. At least, what I can se
e.
Male hardware? Must have read it in
Cosmo.
Whatever. Brendan touched my hair, made a move like he just might kiss me....
255
Damn. There's my boss. Back
to work. Call me, okay?
I wondered if I could. I'd always waited for boys to call me. Which is why I never
talked to any except Trent. And Adam.
By the way, beautiful, what's
your name? In case you call.
Twice in one day! I almost told him the truth but realized the fantasy was better and rested completely in Bree's hands.
256
I
Went Home
tired, tanned, and stuffed on barbecue,
Scott insisted
high on life, nicotine, and purloined booze,
Chase invited
elated, pumped
up, full of Bree's
magical ego,
Brendan inflated
chastised, brought
back down a notch or two,
Leigh instigated
then all the way, chest-deep into shit when
Mom finally noticed the tattoo, my
meaningless, forever
symbol of love. Still,
Bree swore
257
whatever
punishment
lay ahead, only one thing
could have
improved
that phat, fabulous day:
* * a big bite of the monster.
258
Grounded UFN
Until further notice. No
excursions, no calls.
How unfair could you get?
Couldn't she just decide how mad to be, then mold the consequences to fit?
I'm so disappointed in you!
What else was new? She was only good with "all I could be" when it involved a straight-A report card.
Don't you realize this could
scar you forever?
Well, duh, Mom. It already had, though not in the way you imagined.
Couldn't you have asked about that?
Why can't you be more
like your sister?
Did she mean look more like her? Be
PhD bound? Or maybe she wanted me
gay? Lesbians and pregnancy rarely mix.
How can I trust you to make
good decisions?
259
Oh, great. Here it came. No driver's
training, no driver's license. Their
way of keeping me cooped up forever.
Driver's training is on hold.
And to keep you from feeling
cooped up, you can pull weeds.
Fine. I was almost 17, would never
drive, and now I'd spend my summer
yanking goats' heads.
260
T
he
Pr
oblem with Being
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