Read Online My Forever by Jolene Perry - Free Book Online Page B

s are here, no students and it s still quiet. I start to enjoy the stillness of the early morning. Through the rectangle view of my lens, the world looks peaceful. There’s repetition and order in the structure of the b uilding, in the lockers, the doorways, the bricks in the walls, the books in the library.
     
    As students start to arrive, the atmosphere changes. I sit on the floor and take pictures as they come down the hallways, keep ing the camera to my face. The boy and girl are holding hands, they’re dating, he likes her, she likes him. Easy.
     
    A few guys, walking together pushing and shoving but smiling. Also easy, friends.
     
    Everything becomes simple. Everything fits in my neat tidy rectangle. What would I see if I saw myself in that small box? Alone? Sad? I’m not sure. Probably just tired. I feel too complicated to fit in there right now.
     
    I turn and scoot myself to face the opposite direction. Still behind my camera. Tracy and Michael, talking, interested but not too intere sted. Brother and Sister. Easy.
     
    Michael looks straight at me and smiles . I feel my finger take the picture. I know right now it’s going to be my favorite picture of him. Simple, easy, smiling. My chest loosens for the first t ime since… well, since I saw him last. Yesterday was Zack
followed by Dad .
     
    “Morning. You’re here early,” h e says standing over me. He reaches his hand down to pull me to my feet.
     
    I’m way too eager to take his hand
,
but it feels as good as I knew it would. “Yeah, so are you.”
     
    “We’re always here early
. W
e have seminary before school.”
     
    “Oh, right.”
     
    “So, what brings you here?” He reads my expression quickly and knows right away that there isn’t an easy answer. I look down.
     
    “Dani!” Daniel yells from behind me. I turn to see him coming up the hallway. I start to feel relieved, but then he looks at Michael and his face turns angry. “You happy about what you’ve done here, huh?” He walks past me and toward Michael. He tries to stand up taller than he is, and points his finger to Michael’s chest. Michael doesn’t reflect the same cockiness as my brother, but he doesn’t back down either.
     
    “What are you talking about?” Michael’s brow pulls down.
     
    “You and your little Mormon crowd got my sister kicked out of the house!”
     
    I cringe.
     
    “Dani?” Michael looks at me with shock and concern.
     
    I love it. I love that he cares about me enough to look at me that way. I should be freaking out at my brother— that’ll probably hit in a sec.
     
    “You leave her alone!” Daniel yells. This brings me back to the present. He starts to move toward Michael again , and I put myself between them pushing Daniel back.
     
    “Knock it off Daniel. I t’s not his fault. I t’s mine. I lied to Mom and Dad, not him, or any of his friends.” I hadn’t had to. They didn’t care.
     
    Daniel relaxes , but just a little.
     
    I look over my shoulder at Michael. “I’ll see you later on.” I try to sound relaxed, but I’m not.
     
    Michael pauses before stepping back to his locker where his sister is watching the interchange. I’d like to think that Michael wouldn’t have left if it wasn’t my brother. Maybe he doesn’t feel as protective of me as I want him to. He glances back my direction with the same worried expression. Maybe he does. My chest lifts a little.
     
    “What’s going on Dani?” Daniel asks, more quietly now.
     
    “Why do you care, Daniel? You’re usually the one getting me into trouble.”
     
    “This is kind of a big deal.” He looks at me. “Don’t think we didn’t all hear everything that was said.”
     
    This means my whole family knows I’m pregnant. Fabulous. I can see the smug look on Gloria’s face now. Just the thought of it makes me irritated.
     
    “Who’s the dad?” Daniel asks. “Is it him ?” He says more loudly and gestures to where Michael is standing. I laugh.