Read Online Katy's Homecoming by Kim Vogel Sawyer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kim Vogel Sawyer
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stuck-up?”
“Only a couple of the guys,” Annika said. She grabbed Katy’s hand. “But don’t let it bother you. They aren’t worth worrying about.” She glanced around, then turned back to Katy. “How’d you find out? I mean, did someone actually call you stuck-up to your face?”
Katy nodded. “Caleb did.”
Annika’s jaw dropped. “He didn’t!”
“He did. And he told me everyone else thought I was stuck on myself too.”
Annika cupped her hand over her eyes and searched the church grounds. “Where is he?”
Katy grabbed her arm. “Annika —”
Annika shook loose. “No! I’m going to let him know how rude he was. He shouldn’t have said that to you.”
“Yes, he should have.”
Annika stared at Katy in surprise.
“I needed to know.” Katy’s statement even surprised herself. She wouldn’t have ever thought she’d defend Caleb. “But,” she added,“he shouldn’t have said it the way he did — he was mad at the time.”
“Why was he mad?”
Katy’s ears started to heat up. “It doesn’t matter. I’d irritated him, and he retaliated by telling me I was stuck on myself. Even though I didn’t like hearing it, maybe it was good I did. It’s — it’s made me stop and think about some things and whether I should change them.”
Annika leaned close, her eyes flashing. “You mean you’re thinking about not going to school anymore? Because if you stayed home, then —”
“No, not that,” Katy said before Annika could get all excited. “I’m going to finish the year. But there are some things going on at school that I’m involved in. I might not participate after all.” Her heart panged. Being chosen as the attendant was such an honor—an honor she wanted to accept. But not if it would make her self-important. Even though she’d prayed hard about it the night before, Godhadn’t answered yet. She hoped He’d hurry up. She needed to let Aunt Rebecca know about that fabric.
“What is it?” Annika asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Katy offered a sorry look that she hoped Annika would accept. “It won’t matter if I don’t do it. But if I do go ahead with it, you’ll be the first to know.”
After Dad, of course.
Annika looked disappointed, but for once she didn’t argue. Before the girls could talk anymore, Gramma Ruthie and Grampa Ben approached. Katy sucked on her lower lip as she watched them walk slowly across the grass, arm in arm. She loved them so much; she couldn’t imagine what it would be like when they weren’t around anymore. If she decided to be the homecoming attendant, maybe her grandparents would come to watch her. Dad and Mrs. Graber would be away on their trip, but it would be nice to have some family there. Maybe she’d even invite Aunt Rebecca, Uncle Albert, and her cousins. The twins, Lola and Lori, would be green with envy to see Katy out on the gym floor with the other attendants! And Annika could come too. Katy would have a whole cheering section. The thought made her smile.
But then her smile faded. What was she thinking, putting together a cheering section and trying to make her cousins jealous? Only a truly self-centered person would want to show off for her family and friends. Caleb’s jibe echoed through her mind:
You’re stuck on yourself. You’re stuck on yourself.
Gramma Ruthie cupped Katy’s cheek when she reached the truck. “There’s my sweet girl.”
Katy’s stomach swirled. Gramma wouldn’t call her “sweet” if she knew what kinds of thoughts entered Katy’s head. She forced herself to smile.
“Rosemary is riding with your dad,” Gramma said,“so he said you and Annika should go with us. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
“Me too,” Annika said.
They followed Grampa Ben to his car. He opened the back door and bowed, sweeping his hand in an invitation for the girls to climb in. “Let’s go.”
Annika giggled as she slipped into the seat, but Katy got in silently. Her grandparents
“Only a couple of the guys,” Annika said. She grabbed Katy’s hand. “But don’t let it bother you. They aren’t worth worrying about.” She glanced around, then turned back to Katy. “How’d you find out? I mean, did someone actually call you stuck-up to your face?”
Katy nodded. “Caleb did.”
Annika’s jaw dropped. “He didn’t!”
“He did. And he told me everyone else thought I was stuck on myself too.”
Annika cupped her hand over her eyes and searched the church grounds. “Where is he?”
Katy grabbed her arm. “Annika —”
Annika shook loose. “No! I’m going to let him know how rude he was. He shouldn’t have said that to you.”
“Yes, he should have.”
Annika stared at Katy in surprise.
“I needed to know.” Katy’s statement even surprised herself. She wouldn’t have ever thought she’d defend Caleb. “But,” she added,“he shouldn’t have said it the way he did — he was mad at the time.”
“Why was he mad?”
Katy’s ears started to heat up. “It doesn’t matter. I’d irritated him, and he retaliated by telling me I was stuck on myself. Even though I didn’t like hearing it, maybe it was good I did. It’s — it’s made me stop and think about some things and whether I should change them.”
Annika leaned close, her eyes flashing. “You mean you’re thinking about not going to school anymore? Because if you stayed home, then —”
“No, not that,” Katy said before Annika could get all excited. “I’m going to finish the year. But there are some things going on at school that I’m involved in. I might not participate after all.” Her heart panged. Being chosen as the attendant was such an honor—an honor she wanted to accept. But not if it would make her self-important. Even though she’d prayed hard about it the night before, Godhadn’t answered yet. She hoped He’d hurry up. She needed to let Aunt Rebecca know about that fabric.
“What is it?” Annika asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Katy offered a sorry look that she hoped Annika would accept. “It won’t matter if I don’t do it. But if I do go ahead with it, you’ll be the first to know.”
After Dad, of course.
Annika looked disappointed, but for once she didn’t argue. Before the girls could talk anymore, Gramma Ruthie and Grampa Ben approached. Katy sucked on her lower lip as she watched them walk slowly across the grass, arm in arm. She loved them so much; she couldn’t imagine what it would be like when they weren’t around anymore. If she decided to be the homecoming attendant, maybe her grandparents would come to watch her. Dad and Mrs. Graber would be away on their trip, but it would be nice to have some family there. Maybe she’d even invite Aunt Rebecca, Uncle Albert, and her cousins. The twins, Lola and Lori, would be green with envy to see Katy out on the gym floor with the other attendants! And Annika could come too. Katy would have a whole cheering section. The thought made her smile.
But then her smile faded. What was she thinking, putting together a cheering section and trying to make her cousins jealous? Only a truly self-centered person would want to show off for her family and friends. Caleb’s jibe echoed through her mind:
You’re stuck on yourself. You’re stuck on yourself.
Gramma Ruthie cupped Katy’s cheek when she reached the truck. “There’s my sweet girl.”
Katy’s stomach swirled. Gramma wouldn’t call her “sweet” if she knew what kinds of thoughts entered Katy’s head. She forced herself to smile.
“Rosemary is riding with your dad,” Gramma said,“so he said you and Annika should go with us. Are you ready?”
“I’m ready.”
“Me too,” Annika said.
They followed Grampa Ben to his car. He opened the back door and bowed, sweeping his hand in an invitation for the girls to climb in. “Let’s go.”
Annika giggled as she slipped into the seat, but Katy got in silently. Her grandparents
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