Read Online Eleanor by Johnny Worthen - Free Book Online Page B

happy legs, she hurriedly skipped home, breaking into a run when she thought no one was watching.
    â€œWhere have you been, young lady?” her mother said when she came in.
    â€œI stayed after school with David Venn,” she shouted and hopped on her toes. Tabitha’s anger melted, and she patted the sofa next to her.
    â€œTell me all about it, cupcake.”
    Tabitha listened carefully to Eleanor’s detailed description of Mr. Graham’s meeting and her daughter’s dialogue with the boy in the hall. Eleanor’s excitement was contagious, but she could feel her mother’s cautiousness.
    â€œHe always struck me as a bright kid. Why is he struggling in chemistry?”
    â€œHe’s never had it before. Chemistry is like math that works wrong. A lot of kids struggle with it.”
    â€œIt’s good of you to help him.”
    â€œIt’s what friends do,” she said. “They help each other.”
    â€œYes, they do,” agreed Tabitha.
    â€œAnd we love each other,” Eleanor added.
    â€œThat was a long time ago, cupcake,” her mother warned. “And love means something different to grown-ups than it does to kids.”
    â€œI’m not a kid,” she said.
    Tabitha looked in her daughter’s eyes. “No, you’re not. But you don’t know everything yet. Time doesn’t make you wise; experience does. Be careful. This is new territory.”
    â€œI will,” she said.
    â€œYou know he might just want the chemistry help and not a girlfriend.”
    â€œWe can be friends.”
    â€œOf course you can. I just don’t want you getting hurt.”
    â€œI said I’ll be careful.”
    â€œOkay,” said Tabitha. “Let’s eat something. And call me next time, understand?”
    â€œYes, I do.”
    That week, every day after school, the two met in the library and studied for Friday’s test. By the third day, they fell into a comfortable routine of studying for fifty minutes, then taking a ten minute break before another half hour of problems.
    â€œYou’re going to get that B. I’m sure,” she said.
    They were drinking cokes in the cafeteria, David’s treat. Mrs. Church, the lunch lady, regarded them suspiciously before locking the kitchen and leaving the school.
    â€œIt is making loads more sense,” he said. “You’re a great teacher.”
    â€œHow goes the rodeo practice?”
    â€œI’ll skip it this week,” he said. “But it’s going well. Mr. Blake says I’m the best in the school.”
    â€œIsn’t Russell Liddle in the shooting competition, too?”
    â€œYeah. Pistols. Same as me.”
    â€œIs he still being a jerk to you?” Eleanor already knew the answer. She’d overheard Russell talking about David behind his back for weeks. He hadn’t forgotten the mouthful of grass that summer.
    â€œHe’s okay to me on the range,” David said. “I mean, what can he say? The targets speak for themselves.”
    Eleanor nodded.
    â€œSince when does the Fall School Rodeo have shooting and cooking contests?”
    â€œWe had a wheelchair kid a while ago. He’s gone now, moved away, but the school thought it would be good for our image to include him. He could shoot so they added shooting. The cooking, that’s just so the Home-Ec kids can burn bread.”
    â€œYou never talk like this in school,” David said.
    Eleanor blushed. “What do you mean?”
    â€œI mean you’re like a totally different person with me than you are in school. You hardly ever say a word in class. The most I’ve heard you say since I got here was the first day when you told Mrs. Hart to check her Shoshone history.”
    â€œI don’t know,” Eleanor said softly.
    â€œNow don’t go into your shell,” David said. “I like who you are with me. And not with me. You’re genuine, Eleanor. That’s