Read Online Diamonds: Life According to Maps | Book Two by Nash Summers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nash Summers
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plush toy parrot with bulgy little eyes that Maps didn’t particularly trust.
Maps regarded Benji’s white and red striped shirt and said, “You look like one of those guys who steers a gondola.”
“Uh,” Benji said, sitting up straighter and pointing to the parrot. “I’m a pirate. Yar.”
“Pirate of the S. S. Gondola, maybe. Next stop, Baguette.”
“Okay, stop.”
“Plunder and pillage in the name of mi amore.”
“Maps.”
“Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of Tuscany’s finest red.”
“Ugh!” Benji flopped back down on Maps bed, arms extended. “Why does Perry even like you? You’re awful.”
“Why do you care who Perry likes? Also, Perry doesn’t like me.”
Benji sat back up. The parrot on his shoulder now sat backward and the eye patch he wore was flipped up. “I don’t. Also, he does.”
“He’s bringing me over a costume since I forgot one,” Maps said. “But I don’t see why it’s important. I’m only going so I can talk with Lane. I haven’t seen him around school the past few days.”
“He’s probably been sitting at home wondering which came first: the chicken or the egg.”
Maps ignored him. “I hope it’s a cool costume, at least. Like Robocop or Tesla.”
“I hope it’s a Little Bo Peep.”
“Or maybe Superman.”
“Or a butterfly.”
“Or a Mexican wrestler.”
“My costume isn’t really dumb, is it?” Benji asked.
“It’s kind of dumb,” Maps replied, nodding his head.
“Because there’s this girl at the party who I really like. She’s in our Algebra class—not that you’d notice—and has the best smile.”
As Benji rambled about a squirrel or something, Maps stared at Lane’s bedroom window. The curtains were covering the glass and the lights seemed to be off, but he couldn’t help but stare.
He remembered when Lane used to sneak in through his bedroom window and play music, or give him little written notes, or tell him about the baseball game his team just won.
Or when Lane kissed him.
Maps heart and stomach flopped in unison like synchronized swimmers.
That couldn’t have been his only chance to kiss Lane, ever, could it? Because that just wouldn’t be fair. He doubted anyone else like Lane existed anywhere else in the world, let alone someone like Lane who would like him.
He leaned so close to his bedroom window that his nose pressed against the glass. He was in one of his moods again, as his mother would call it. If Benji weren't around, he would fish Lane’s old baseball cap out from under his bed and put it on.
Someone knocked at the door.
Maps turned to see a very smiley Perry standing in the doorway. He was wearing a bright blue bodysuit and more makeup than Maps had seen any of the girls at school wear. His eyes were lined with jewels and blue eyeshadow, and he had blue feathers in his hair. And all over his body. Blue, green, and yellow feathers.
Benji shot up from where he’d been lying on the bed and faced Perry.
“You look like a deranged parrot,” Benji said, gigantic grin on his face.
Perry scowled. “You look like Waldo after a bender.”
Benji’s smile quickly slipped away and was replaced with a leer. Maps stood there contemplating if he’d make a comment about Benji ruffling Perry’s feathers, but thought better of it.
“Are you a peacock?” Maps asked as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
Perry immediately forgot about Benji and turned to Maps. “Exactly!”
“More like pea-brain,” Benji said.
“Better than a one-eyed hobo.”
Benji puffed out his unimpressive chest. Perry’s grin was lupine.
“Okay,” Maps said, stepping in between them. “What costume did you bring me?”
“Uh, well,” Perry stammered. He began rummaging through the plastic bag he had hooked over his arm. He pulled something out in a small bag and handed it to Maps. “It’s last minute, so there wasn’t really a lot left to pick from.”
Maps took the bag, opened it, and pulled out a piece of
Maps regarded Benji’s white and red striped shirt and said, “You look like one of those guys who steers a gondola.”
“Uh,” Benji said, sitting up straighter and pointing to the parrot. “I’m a pirate. Yar.”
“Pirate of the S. S. Gondola, maybe. Next stop, Baguette.”
“Okay, stop.”
“Plunder and pillage in the name of mi amore.”
“Maps.”
“Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of Tuscany’s finest red.”
“Ugh!” Benji flopped back down on Maps bed, arms extended. “Why does Perry even like you? You’re awful.”
“Why do you care who Perry likes? Also, Perry doesn’t like me.”
Benji sat back up. The parrot on his shoulder now sat backward and the eye patch he wore was flipped up. “I don’t. Also, he does.”
“He’s bringing me over a costume since I forgot one,” Maps said. “But I don’t see why it’s important. I’m only going so I can talk with Lane. I haven’t seen him around school the past few days.”
“He’s probably been sitting at home wondering which came first: the chicken or the egg.”
Maps ignored him. “I hope it’s a cool costume, at least. Like Robocop or Tesla.”
“I hope it’s a Little Bo Peep.”
“Or maybe Superman.”
“Or a butterfly.”
“Or a Mexican wrestler.”
“My costume isn’t really dumb, is it?” Benji asked.
“It’s kind of dumb,” Maps replied, nodding his head.
“Because there’s this girl at the party who I really like. She’s in our Algebra class—not that you’d notice—and has the best smile.”
As Benji rambled about a squirrel or something, Maps stared at Lane’s bedroom window. The curtains were covering the glass and the lights seemed to be off, but he couldn’t help but stare.
He remembered when Lane used to sneak in through his bedroom window and play music, or give him little written notes, or tell him about the baseball game his team just won.
Or when Lane kissed him.
Maps heart and stomach flopped in unison like synchronized swimmers.
That couldn’t have been his only chance to kiss Lane, ever, could it? Because that just wouldn’t be fair. He doubted anyone else like Lane existed anywhere else in the world, let alone someone like Lane who would like him.
He leaned so close to his bedroom window that his nose pressed against the glass. He was in one of his moods again, as his mother would call it. If Benji weren't around, he would fish Lane’s old baseball cap out from under his bed and put it on.
Someone knocked at the door.
Maps turned to see a very smiley Perry standing in the doorway. He was wearing a bright blue bodysuit and more makeup than Maps had seen any of the girls at school wear. His eyes were lined with jewels and blue eyeshadow, and he had blue feathers in his hair. And all over his body. Blue, green, and yellow feathers.
Benji shot up from where he’d been lying on the bed and faced Perry.
“You look like a deranged parrot,” Benji said, gigantic grin on his face.
Perry scowled. “You look like Waldo after a bender.”
Benji’s smile quickly slipped away and was replaced with a leer. Maps stood there contemplating if he’d make a comment about Benji ruffling Perry’s feathers, but thought better of it.
“Are you a peacock?” Maps asked as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
Perry immediately forgot about Benji and turned to Maps. “Exactly!”
“More like pea-brain,” Benji said.
“Better than a one-eyed hobo.”
Benji puffed out his unimpressive chest. Perry’s grin was lupine.
“Okay,” Maps said, stepping in between them. “What costume did you bring me?”
“Uh, well,” Perry stammered. He began rummaging through the plastic bag he had hooked over his arm. He pulled something out in a small bag and handed it to Maps. “It’s last minute, so there wasn’t really a lot left to pick from.”
Maps took the bag, opened it, and pulled out a piece of
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