Read Online Eleven Things I Promised by Catherine Clark - Free Book Online

marches to the beat of her own drummer. Margo, well, not sure what category she would go in, honor society I guess.” While he was talking, Cameron just kept massaging my calf. “There’s the stoner burner guy who’s super laid-back except for the fact he constantly chases girls. And then there’s me and you. What categories do we go in?”
    â€œUm . . . that makes it sound like a game show answer. I’ll take: Names beginning with
F
,” I said. “I’m not into cliques. I like to be friends with people from all different groups, you know?”
    â€œYeah, me too. But if you
had
to pick one group, because we’re filling out our microcosm checklist, which would it be?” asked Cameron.
    â€œArtists?” I mumbled into the ground. “Yearbook nerds?People who work a lot at bad jobs? Wait. Do you have a job?”
    â€œSummers only. I work at Cumberland Farms, which is neither a farm nor in Cumberland. But I think if I
had
to choose a group, I’d say techies. Coders.”
    â€œStella’s into coding,” I said. “She wants to build apps. I mean, she’s working on one.”
    â€œOh, yeah? What will it do?”
    â€œSomething linking biking and restaurants,” I said. “It could come in handy on something like this. If we ever got to stop.”
    â€œNo doubt.” Cameron nodded. “So how’s she doing?”
    â€œShe’s getting better,” I said. “But she has a ways to go, still.” Keep it vague, I reminded myself. “She messed up her pelvis. Which is such an embarrassing word.”
    â€œAn unfortunate word,” Cameron agreed. “Nothing makes me madder than drivers who don’t look out for people who are biking. Have you ever seen those ghost bikes? They have them in bigger cities. They put white painted bikes where someone got hit—I mean, killed—by a car. Pretty creepy, but it has a really big impact on people. Maybe we should put one out by the scene—you know?”
    I sat up abruptly and turned to look at him. “She didn’t die,” I said.
    He was still holding on to my calf a little, and I pulledaway. Suddenly I felt like he could see right through me, like he knew everything. I almost shivered.
    Right at that moment Margo walked by. She stopped and gave us a withering glance, holding an empty cup. “What happened to you? You fell down on the way to eat?”
    â€œI just got a cramp, that’s all.” I stretched my leg, flexing my foot a little. Cameron gave my calf one last rub.
    â€œReally, like, get a room!” Autumn laughed as she and Alex walked past.
    â€œDid she really just say that?” I asked Cameron. “Of all people? They haven’t been separated for two seconds since we started this trip.”
    â€œThey should get a tandem bike,” Margo agreed, arching one eyebrow. “Then they’d never have to be apart.” She walked off, and I found myself smiling at her comment. She could have a sense of humor when she wanted to. As long as it wasn’t about me, it was funny.
    â€œOoh, brownies—I’ll grab us some.” Cameron jumped up and walked over to the pavilion.
    If I could have moved, I would have followed him. Instead, I ate my lunch quickly so I could check in with Stella. I’d told her I would call from the road on Monday.
    â€œHey! How are you doing?” I asked when she answered.
    She kind of laughed, which was nice to hear. “I saw youSaturday night. It’s only been two days. I’m the same,” she said.
    â€œThe exact same?” I asked. “Or kind of better or . . .”
    â€œThe same. What do you think? You think I’m going to jump out of bed and start running or something?” she snapped.
    I didn’t know exactly what I’d said to spoil her good mood. It had been happening a lot lately. I couldn’t seem to say anything right anymore. “I