Read Online Need by Joelle Charbonneau - Free Book Online Page B

the photograph I took this morning, and hold it out to show Nate. “Someone dug a grave in the snow and left a message essentially telling DJ it was for him.”
    â€œAre you kidding?” Nate grabs my phone and stares at the photograph. “Who the hell would do something like that?”
    I shrug. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard about it. We’ve gotten so many calls my mom finally decided to take the phone off the hook.”
    The police paid a visit to Richard Ward at the drugstore and word spread. Fast. I’m spreading rumors. I’m blaming someone without evidence. I’m causing drama. Again.
    I called Nate not long after the police came back to talk to DJ, but didn’t leave a message. He always calls back when he sees he missed one of my calls. When he didn’t this time, I figured it was his way of saying he’d had enough of my problems. I was hurt, but I didn’t blame him. Much.
    Nate shakes his head, still staring at the image of the grave beneath the tree. “Today was Obligatory Holiday Visit to Obscure Relatives Day. Dad’s still pissed about Jack’s new iPhone, so we all had to leave our phones behind. I was going to call when I got back, but I got distracted by the whole thing with Amanda.”
    â€œWhat about Amanda?” Now I’m the one who’s confused.
    â€œYou haven’t heard?” He glances up. “Amanda’s in the hospital. Her sweet sixteen party was supposed to be tonight, so people were sending texts to let everyone who had been invited know.”
    Which explains why I haven’t heard. I wasn’t invited. And, of course, Nate was.
    â€œWhat happened to her?” I ask, telling myself it doesn’t matter that Amanda didn’t invite me. Just because she actually cared enough to ask me how my brother was doing and promised to get tested as a donor doesn’t make us best friends or anything.
    â€œBetween the rumors that she was poisoned by her mother and that someone came in and beat her up, it’s hard to say. I’m putting my money on whatever explanation is behind door number three.” Nate looks back down at my phone and frowns. “Although after seeing this picture, I’m thinking maybe those theories aren’t that crazy.”
    â€œAmanda’s mother wouldn’t poison her, and there’s no way someone would break into her house and beat her up.”
    â€œYesterday, I would have said there was no way someone would dig a hole in your yard and put a threatening note for DJ in it.” Nate hands my phone back to me.
    Fair point. Still . . . “Instead of jumping to conclusions, why don’t you check with your network of informants and see if anyone knows how Amanda is doing.” I’ve seen DJ hooked up to beeping machines far too many times to wish that on anyone, let alone Amanda. “Everyone is probably exaggerating how bad it is, but it would be nice to know for sure.”
    â€œIf you insist.” Nate pulls out his own phone and starts dialing. After the first three calls, I tell Nate I’m going downstairs to get us something to drink. It’s one thing to know my best friend is more popular than me; it’s another thing to hear him talking about parties and ski trips I haven’t been asked to be a part of.
    Not that I want to go. After all the sideways glances, unkind comments, and horrible messages I’ve received, I’d rather spend my time alone than with most of the people who attend my school. Not that I really have a choice. No one invites me to group events anymore. But Nate is always invited. Most days, I can pretend that Nate will always choose me over those offers. But I know the truth. Nothing lasts forever. I survived my dad’s abandonment. When Nate goes too, I’m not sure what I’ll do.
    I reach the bottom of the stairs and hear the sound of one of Mom’s cooking shows coming from the