Read Online Kat's Fall by Shelley Hrdlitschka - Free Book Online Page A

pulls up to the curb and Gem jumps out of the passenger seat.
    “Darcy! I didn’t know you had a golden retriever,” she squeals. She puts her hand out to let Star sniff her and then gives the dog’s back a good hard thumping. Star seems to enjoy it. Gem must know something about dogs. I glance into the car and meet the eyes of the driver. He looks unimpressed.
    “She’s not mine,” I tell her. “She’s my little sister’s, at least for now.”
    “For now?”
    “We’ve got her on a trial basis, to see if it works out.”
    “Hmm.” Now Gem has one of Star’s ears in each hand and is gently massaging them. The skin on the back of her hands is the color of milk chocolate. Her nails are painted pale pink. “She’s a real beauty.”
    I have nothing to say to that. I glance again at the driver of the car. He’s glaring back at me. “I thought you didn’t have a boyfriend,” I say.
    “I don’t,” Gem says. She glances at the driver too. That’s just my brother.”
    “Oh.” Why am I relieved to hear that?
    “I gotta go,” I say, finally dragging my eyes away from her hands. For a moment I find myself wishing I were Star, or at least Star’s ears. What has come over me? I’m getting soft. “I’m late for work.”
    She leans over and kisses the top of the dog’s head. Yuck. And she’s worried about having nicotine breath?
    “See you tomorrow,” she says before hopping back into her brother’s car.

    I FIND K AT and Sammy waiting in the front yard for us. With delighted squeals they race over and greet Star. I may as well be invisible. Mrs. K comes out of the house and greets the dog too. Maybe I’ll just leave and let Star baby-sit.
    “Hi, Darcy,” Mrs. K says, finally. “I saw your picture in the paper today.”
    “Oh, yeah.”
    She gives me a look I can’t read. “Everything all right?” she asks.
    “Yep.”
    “Good,” she says, nodding. “And Kat? She’s dealing with everything okay?”
    I’m not quite sure what she’s referring to, but it doesn’t really matter. “Yeah, Star’s taken her mind off everything else.”
    “That’s good.”
    I have to agree with that.
    “I have to run,” she says. “I left a note on the counter for you.” She turns to leave.
    “Okay.”
    “Oh.” She swings back around to face me. “I also mentioned in the note that Geoff and I have both decided to take next week off, to spend it with Sammy.”
    “Oh. Okay.” Geoff is Sammy’s dad.
    “I’m sorry about the short notice, Darcy, but,” she frowns, “we’re a little concerned about her.”
    “You are?”
    “Yeah, we’ve noticed that she just hasn’t been herself. We’re hoping that she just needs a little more of our attention.”
    Actually, I’ve noticed that Sammy’s been acting kind of strange too. She’s been more clingy than ever, but then lashes out at the strangest things. “Okay. No problem.”
    “Thanks, Darcy. I appreciate that. And a week off will be like a little holiday for you, won’t it? Maybe you can hang out with your friends, play some sports or something.”
    Shows how well she knows me. I smile politely and nod.
    “All right then, I’m gone,” she says. Sammy is chasing Star, who seems to understand the game of tag perfectly. Mrs. K hugs Sam, who doesn’t hug back or become anxious because she’s too busy struggling to be set loose. Star is way more interesting than her mother at this moment. Or me.
    How quickly I’ve been replaced.

    M S . W ETZELL CALLS me into her office.
    “How’s it going, Darcy?” she asks.
    “Fine.”
    “Your mom is out of prison now.”
    “That’s what I hear.”
    “And you survived the media frenzy.”
    “So far so good.”
    “I wonder how your mom is faring. She’ll be recognized wherever she goes. It won’t be easy.”
    “That’s not my problem.”
    She sighs. “I got a call from your sister’s school this morning. It’s a message for you. Apparently your dad called them to say he’s decided to pick Kat