Read Online Have Mercy (Have a Life #1) by Maddy Wells - Free Book Online
Authors: Maddy Wells
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would have alone with The Griffin, of course. As soon as he opened his wings to release me, a gazillion groupies and wannabes descended on him, some pushing CDs on him, which he accepted, handing the overflow to me and promising to listen later.
“It’s so great to be here in Milltown ,” he shouted, and at first my heart sang, but then I realized it was what bands shout from whatever stage they’re on. “It’s so great to be here in Detroit! In Dallas! In Dumbledorf! In whatever the name of this freakin’ place is.”
I tugged on his wing. “I have to talk to you soon,” I said. “Before the party starts.”
“Sure, sure,” he said and was immediately waylaid by a pretty Goth girl who didn’t look much older than me.
“I mean this is serious,” I said, which, as soon as I said it I realized it was exactly the wrong thing to say. Nothing would put off The Griffin in his homecoming mode more than a serious discussion. But I needed his signature to drop out of school and a little cash to put my plan in motion and that’s all there was to it.
“Of course! That’s what I’m here for. To take care of business.”
The pretty Goth girl slipped him a piece of paper which he opened, read the message and put his head back and roared. “Don’t go too far,” he told her.
A Papa John’s Delivery truck pulled up, the driver and a helper carrying stacked boxes of pizza into the house, then a House of Han van pulled up and the driver made a couple of round trips carrying shopping bags of take-out in both hands, tiny containers of duck sauce and mustard spilling onto the lawn that I would find all over the house in the morning. The party had officially begun and it was exactly like it always was. I don’t know why I felt disappointed. And I can’t explain why I felt that something really really bad was going to happen.
Chapter 10
Tim was leaning against the kitchen sink, discussing the peculiarities of bass playing with Raymond, an empty pizza box between them and a plastic cup filled with what I assumed was Jim Beam in his hand. Raymond was swigging from the bottle.
“You’re not old enough,” I told Tim.
“He is under my supervision,” Raymond said. They laughed.
Whatever. Last year, for the first time—our neighborhood isn’t exactly upscale—the cops came, sirens wailing, bubble lights twirling, but somehow all the underage kids disappeared into the bus and it turned out that the police chief was a metal head and the only penalty The Griffin had to pay was a bus stop at the chief’s house on his way out of town.
“Have you seen Jane?” I asked.
Raymond jerked a thumb and I followed its direction into the living room where Jane was nose to nose on the sofa with St. Alban’s non-graduate Rob.
“Don’t you have a date tonight?” I asked her, interrupting Rob’s fascinating philosophical monologue about whatever.
Her face got red. “What?”
“The prom? Aren’t they expecting you?”
“Oh,” she said. “I don’t have to be there for another hour. I do have to change those ridiculous decorations on the stage, so I should go now, you’re right. Where’s The Griffin?”
He was, in fact, right behind me and he said, plaintively, “You’re making me come to you, now, love? I’ve always loved your sadism.” They laughed hysterically.
Here’s the thing about my parents: I have no idea what’s going on between them. I mean
“It’s so great to be here in Milltown ,” he shouted, and at first my heart sang, but then I realized it was what bands shout from whatever stage they’re on. “It’s so great to be here in Detroit! In Dallas! In Dumbledorf! In whatever the name of this freakin’ place is.”
I tugged on his wing. “I have to talk to you soon,” I said. “Before the party starts.”
“Sure, sure,” he said and was immediately waylaid by a pretty Goth girl who didn’t look much older than me.
“I mean this is serious,” I said, which, as soon as I said it I realized it was exactly the wrong thing to say. Nothing would put off The Griffin in his homecoming mode more than a serious discussion. But I needed his signature to drop out of school and a little cash to put my plan in motion and that’s all there was to it.
“Of course! That’s what I’m here for. To take care of business.”
The pretty Goth girl slipped him a piece of paper which he opened, read the message and put his head back and roared. “Don’t go too far,” he told her.
A Papa John’s Delivery truck pulled up, the driver and a helper carrying stacked boxes of pizza into the house, then a House of Han van pulled up and the driver made a couple of round trips carrying shopping bags of take-out in both hands, tiny containers of duck sauce and mustard spilling onto the lawn that I would find all over the house in the morning. The party had officially begun and it was exactly like it always was. I don’t know why I felt disappointed. And I can’t explain why I felt that something really really bad was going to happen.
Chapter 10
Tim was leaning against the kitchen sink, discussing the peculiarities of bass playing with Raymond, an empty pizza box between them and a plastic cup filled with what I assumed was Jim Beam in his hand. Raymond was swigging from the bottle.
“You’re not old enough,” I told Tim.
“He is under my supervision,” Raymond said. They laughed.
Whatever. Last year, for the first time—our neighborhood isn’t exactly upscale—the cops came, sirens wailing, bubble lights twirling, but somehow all the underage kids disappeared into the bus and it turned out that the police chief was a metal head and the only penalty The Griffin had to pay was a bus stop at the chief’s house on his way out of town.
“Have you seen Jane?” I asked.
Raymond jerked a thumb and I followed its direction into the living room where Jane was nose to nose on the sofa with St. Alban’s non-graduate Rob.
“Don’t you have a date tonight?” I asked her, interrupting Rob’s fascinating philosophical monologue about whatever.
Her face got red. “What?”
“The prom? Aren’t they expecting you?”
“Oh,” she said. “I don’t have to be there for another hour. I do have to change those ridiculous decorations on the stage, so I should go now, you’re right. Where’s The Griffin?”
He was, in fact, right behind me and he said, plaintively, “You’re making me come to you, now, love? I’ve always loved your sadism.” They laughed hysterically.
Here’s the thing about my parents: I have no idea what’s going on between them. I mean
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