Read Online If Only We by Jessica Sankiewicz - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jessica Sankiewicz
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who that someone should be.
~*~
Chevy and I meet up after dinner at the Sweet Treat, the local outdoor ice cream eatery twenty yards from the high school. It was a smart move on their part because when kids are walking home from school, all they want is to go there every day. Of course, when you’re young you don’t have enough money to.
We place our order—he chooses a strawberry shake and I choose marshmallow—then we take a seat on the furthest picnic table along the side of the building. After he fills me in on his week, I tell him about mine. I try to make it as brief as possible, since I've already talked excessively about it in the last five days.
When I reach the end, he waits a moment before speaking. Then he says, “First of all, I fully agree with your decision to stop doing something you don’t love. I’m not too keen on withholding that from your mom though.”
I sigh. “I know, neither am I.” I twist my straw between my thumb and index finger. “I want to tell her. I almost did, and then I chickened out. I could just see it all crumble and topple over. My mom wants nothing more than to see me succeed. I just want a little bit of time to figure those details out, and then I’ll come clean.”
He nods. “It’s a tough place to be in, trying to balance out pleasing your parents and following your dreams.”
“It is.”
“Do you know what you want to do?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Not really. Lyndsay is working on convincing me to be a seamstress.”
“Why? Is it something you're good at?”
“Um, sort of?”
He laughs. “That’s a good start, you know. Here’s the difficult question: do you enjoy it?”
I ponder this for a moment. Looking through the box of fabric earlier sent me to a land of reminiscing. All those rainy summer days Lyndsay and I would be sewing until the rain stopped. At the time, it was to stave off boredom. Thinking about the joy I got from creating something made me realize how I really felt. “Yes,” I respond with resolve. “I enjoy it.”
“Then that,” he says, “is your answer.” And it is.
I change the subject. “So, what else have you been up to?”
He shrugs. “Nothing really. Just hanging with Roger and Nathan. Speaking of which, how do you feel about karaoke?”
“Karaoke?” I look into his eyes to see if he is being serious.
He is. “Yes, karaoke.”
The last time I sang was for a spring recital in fifth grade, but I don’t like to think about that night. “I don’t know. I don’t really sing in front of people.”
“You can’t sing?”
“I can, I just…don’t.” I shake my head. “Why? Do you like to?”
“I can take it or leave it. I only ask because Nathan is leaving early for New York and he wants to go to the coffee shop next week for karaoke night.” He puts his hand to his face and sighs. “Of all the things he wants to do before leaving, karaoke and coffee on a Saturday night?”
I stifle a laugh. “Well, at least he didn’t want to go out clubbing or drinking.”
He straightens up a little. For a second he looks unsettled, but then it vanishes. “So, yeah, karaoke next Saturday. You, Lyndsay, and Ben can come.”
“Do I have to sing?”
“No,” he says, shaking his head. Then he smirks. “But since it is Nathan’s night, I expect him to drag every last one of us up there at least once.”
I groan. “I guess that would be tolerable. It’s better than having to sing alone.”
He gestures to my cup with his. “Are you finished?” I nod yes. He takes it from me and throws them both away. “I’m going to walk you home.”
“My place is out of your way.”
“So?” He looks at me with raised eyebrows.
I narrow my eyes, and then nod. “Okay, if you insist.”
Chapter Eleven
Saturday, June 9 th
“He walked you home?” Lyndsay asked in disbelief.
We are walking down the sidewalk at the Hamilton Outdoor Shopping Mall. The weather is cooler today than it usually is at this
~*~
Chevy and I meet up after dinner at the Sweet Treat, the local outdoor ice cream eatery twenty yards from the high school. It was a smart move on their part because when kids are walking home from school, all they want is to go there every day. Of course, when you’re young you don’t have enough money to.
We place our order—he chooses a strawberry shake and I choose marshmallow—then we take a seat on the furthest picnic table along the side of the building. After he fills me in on his week, I tell him about mine. I try to make it as brief as possible, since I've already talked excessively about it in the last five days.
When I reach the end, he waits a moment before speaking. Then he says, “First of all, I fully agree with your decision to stop doing something you don’t love. I’m not too keen on withholding that from your mom though.”
I sigh. “I know, neither am I.” I twist my straw between my thumb and index finger. “I want to tell her. I almost did, and then I chickened out. I could just see it all crumble and topple over. My mom wants nothing more than to see me succeed. I just want a little bit of time to figure those details out, and then I’ll come clean.”
He nods. “It’s a tough place to be in, trying to balance out pleasing your parents and following your dreams.”
“It is.”
“Do you know what you want to do?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Not really. Lyndsay is working on convincing me to be a seamstress.”
“Why? Is it something you're good at?”
“Um, sort of?”
He laughs. “That’s a good start, you know. Here’s the difficult question: do you enjoy it?”
I ponder this for a moment. Looking through the box of fabric earlier sent me to a land of reminiscing. All those rainy summer days Lyndsay and I would be sewing until the rain stopped. At the time, it was to stave off boredom. Thinking about the joy I got from creating something made me realize how I really felt. “Yes,” I respond with resolve. “I enjoy it.”
“Then that,” he says, “is your answer.” And it is.
I change the subject. “So, what else have you been up to?”
He shrugs. “Nothing really. Just hanging with Roger and Nathan. Speaking of which, how do you feel about karaoke?”
“Karaoke?” I look into his eyes to see if he is being serious.
He is. “Yes, karaoke.”
The last time I sang was for a spring recital in fifth grade, but I don’t like to think about that night. “I don’t know. I don’t really sing in front of people.”
“You can’t sing?”
“I can, I just…don’t.” I shake my head. “Why? Do you like to?”
“I can take it or leave it. I only ask because Nathan is leaving early for New York and he wants to go to the coffee shop next week for karaoke night.” He puts his hand to his face and sighs. “Of all the things he wants to do before leaving, karaoke and coffee on a Saturday night?”
I stifle a laugh. “Well, at least he didn’t want to go out clubbing or drinking.”
He straightens up a little. For a second he looks unsettled, but then it vanishes. “So, yeah, karaoke next Saturday. You, Lyndsay, and Ben can come.”
“Do I have to sing?”
“No,” he says, shaking his head. Then he smirks. “But since it is Nathan’s night, I expect him to drag every last one of us up there at least once.”
I groan. “I guess that would be tolerable. It’s better than having to sing alone.”
He gestures to my cup with his. “Are you finished?” I nod yes. He takes it from me and throws them both away. “I’m going to walk you home.”
“My place is out of your way.”
“So?” He looks at me with raised eyebrows.
I narrow my eyes, and then nod. “Okay, if you insist.”
Chapter Eleven
Saturday, June 9 th
“He walked you home?” Lyndsay asked in disbelief.
We are walking down the sidewalk at the Hamilton Outdoor Shopping Mall. The weather is cooler today than it usually is at this
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