Read Online Forever for a Year by B. T. Gottfred - Free Book Online Page A

Then I yelled, “Mom!” And I opened her bedroom door.
    The look on her face let me know what I thought I knew. But I didn’t want her to say anything. I couldn’t stand to hear it just then. So, super quick, I said, “What neighbors? The Thuressons or the Hammans?”
    â€œThe Hammans,” she said. She opened her mouth to keep talking, but I just turned and walked away.
    *   *   *
    â€œHi, Trevor, did you have a great first day of school?” Lily said the moment she saw me, strapping on her blue backpack. Then she turned back to our neighbors and her kid friend, and said, “Thank you so much for hosting me, and you have a wonderful home. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”
    After they closed the door, I said, “Where’d you learn to talk like that?”
    â€œI’m being gracious.”
    â€œIt’s strange that a seven-year-old girl talks like that.”
    â€œI think people like it.”
    â€œThey do.”
    â€œSo then why shouldn’t I do it?”
    â€œYou should. It’s just strange having your younger sister talk like she’s older than you.”
    â€œYou’re hilarious, Trevor. Enough about me, how was your first day?”
    â€œMostly pointless,” I said, but then I realized I was bored with talking about things being pointless and Lily was the best to talk to about important stuff. Except I couldn’t talk about Mom’s phone call I just overheard. I just couldn’t do that to her. She wouldn’t even understand. So instead I said, “I think I met a girl.”
    â€œReally? Really!” she screeched, jumping up and down and acting like a seven-year-old for once. “Goodness! What’s her name? Is she as pretty as Dakota?”
    â€œHer name’s Carolina. And she’s pretty, but in a different way than Dakota.”
    â€œThis is very exciting! I want to meet her. When do I get to meet her?”
    â€œWell, we didn’t really talk yet.” I shouldn’t have brought Carolina up. Big mistake.
    â€œBut why not? You just have to talk to her, Trevor! Don’t be afraid.”
    â€œYou don’t talk to boys.”
    â€œYes, I do. Don’t be hilarious,” she said. (She was using the word “hilarious” all the time lately, even when it didn’t make that much sense.) “But I don’t like them yet because I’m seven. I’ll like them when I’m ten. Are you Facebook friends?”
    â€œFacebook isn’t cool anymore,” I said.
    â€œBut you look at it every day,” Lily said. I didn’t say anything back. “Just ask her to be friends on that. I think she would like that.”
    â€œOkay, I’ll think about it.”
    â€œYou’re so hilarious.” And then she made herself laugh, which made me laugh, which made her laugh for real, which made me forget all the shitty things that happened today.
    Lily was magical that way.

 
    11
    Carolina dies of a heart attack
    â€œPoint him out,” Katherine said after she followed Peggy and me to our first-period biology class Tuesday morning. Peggy had told her about Trevor Santos’s friend request, so then Katherine said she would decide for me whether I should accept it. What kind of person does that?
    So originally I didn’t accept his request right away because Kendra and I decided it was better to make a boy that you like wait to know that you like him back. But then after thinking about it longer and my whole body hurting at the thought of him, I realized that Trevor was probably just asking me because he wanted to collect girls’ friendships but not really care about any one of us. So I couldn’t be his friend if I thought that, right?
    But then I just wished I’d gone ahead and accepted it so that Katherine couldn’t make it a million times worse. But it was too late for that.
    I saw Trevor turn down the hall, walking