Read Online Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark - Free Book Online Page B

want
    to watch ballet?).
    I get that look.
    â€œWhat?”
    Mom goes to the sink.
    She rinses her paisley teacup,
    part of a set I made for
    her birthday,
    then comes back
    to sit with me.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â â€œI’m glad you and Brendan
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â enjoy each other”—
    I can tell she’s being careful—
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  “but it would be a mistake to
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  exclude everyone else.”
    She does that serious-Mom
    look-you-right-
    in-the-eye thing.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â â€œThere’s so much more
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â to life than having a boyfriend—
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â and you need your friends, too.”
    â€œAre you saying
    I can’t bring Brendan?”
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â â€œI’m just saying you
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â should think about
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â what’s really important,
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â what has lasting value.”
    â€œI’m inviting Brendan.”
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â She shakes her head, exasperated.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â â€œDo what you want.”
    She gives up so easily.
    â€œPerfect,” I say.
    I always win.

And Speaking of Perfection
    I’ve discovered
    it’s not in friendship
    it’s not in good grades
    it’s not in a well-thrown pot
    it’s not in a flawlessly wrestled match.
    Perfection is the warm feeling
    in the deep of my stomach
    when his eyes meet mine,
    and the memory
    of what we did last night
    vibrates between us.
    The way he touched my face
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â kissed my eyelids
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â stroked my hair
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â caressed my hip
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â murmured love.
    The way our bodies melded
    and there was no telling
    where one ended
    and the other began.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Perfection is
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â the two of us
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â together.
    No lecture can change that.

(Angel)
    â€œPhewie, That Stinks!”
    Denai opens the living room window,
    lettin’ out the smell of acrylic.
    Gennifer’s doing my fills.
    Handy to have a roommate
    in cosmetology school.
    Haven’t let her touch my hair yet
    but nails