Read Online Nobody's Dog by Ria Voros - Free Book Online

work.”
    Aunt Laura looks at me. “Gee, Jakob. It’s not like you’ve got anything better to do.”
    I glare at her.
    â€œJust treat her nicely, okay? That’s all I ask.” Aunt Laura rubs her eyes. “She might actually be someone who understands what it means to be alone.”
    Libby comes out of the basement suite with a pad of paper and a box of pencils, sets them up at the picnic table and starts drawing. Her long black skirt hides her feet and drags on the ground. There’s a bright orange gypsy-looking thing around her shoulders. I really don’t get how girls choose their clothes.
    I stay on my side of the yard, half-pretending to read a book about stars. The other day I found out that Cygnus is also called the Northern Cross, which makes it much easier to find because it’s cross-shaped.
    â€œYou don’t have to talk to me,” Libby says suddenly. She stares at her paper.
    â€œI’m not,” I say, stating the obvious.
    â€œBut for the rest of the day. You can just do whatever. I’ll pretend you’re not there if you want.”
    â€œI don’t care.” She’s making me uncomfortable, but it’s my yard, so I refuse to leave. We both go back to what we were doing — or in my case, not doing.
    A car blasting rock music drives past the house. It’s the Cosmic Turkeys, a band Grant loved — “Water From Stone,” from their second album. I whisper the lyrics under my breath until the car takes the music away.
    â€œYou know that song?” Libby asks.
    â€œI thought we weren’t talking,” I say.
    â€œI said you didn’t
have
to talk to me. If you want to, you can. It’s a personal choice.”
    â€œWell, I choose not to. You know, out of respect. You asked
me
the question.”
    She takes her eyes off whatever she’s drawing. “You know, I thought you were kind of cool when I first met you.”
    â€œLet me guess. That’s all changed?”
    She rolls her eyes, goes back to her drawing.
    The sun bakes me inside my clothes until it feels like I’ll melt right here on the grass. I need water — cold, with ice.
    â€œYou want a drink?” I ask, forgetting we’re not supposed to be talking.
    She looks up, startled. “Yeah. Thanks. With ice, please.”
    I stumble across the lawn, a little dizzy. From behind her, I get a glimpse of a drawing that fell out of her sketchbook.
    I stop. “What’s that?” I try to keep my voice steady. It’s not perfect, but a creepy-close drawing of a black and white husky.
    â€œIt’s a dog,” she says. “Doesn’t it look like one?”
    â€œWell, I wasn’t sure,” I say, to cover my shock.
    â€œAre you just going to stand there staring into space?”
    I take a few steps back, not sure what to do next.
    â€œYou know, people think I’m weird but you’re kind of freaky yourself,” she says.
    I shrug, turn toward the house. How does she know Chilko? I’m positive it’s him on the page. I bet she’d tell if I asked.
No way
, J thinks.
She’s not trustworthy. She’ll ask questions
.
    â€œI should show you how to draw,” Libby says. Her voice sounds far away in my brain.
    â€œNo, thanks,” I mutter, while J tries to convince me not to say anything else.
    â€œWell, I’m drawing you next,” she says, flipping to a fresh piece of paper.
    I stare at her. She’s looking through her box for the right pencil.
    â€œI’m not posing,” I say.
    â€œI didn’t ask you to. I know what you look like.”
    â€œThat’s creepy.”
    â€œWhy? It’s not a nude study.”
    I shudder as I slowly take the steps. My head aches a little from this strange conversation.
    By the time I come back out with the water the questions are piling up inside me. There’s a drawing of Chilko over there. Did she see him that