Read Online Picturing Perfect by Melissa Brown, Lori Sabin - Free Book Online
Authors: Melissa Brown, Lori Sabin
Tags: Contemporary
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started.
"I knew it!" she yelled, pointing her finger at me. "Why didn't you tell me? You're my best friend! I need to know these things. All this time, I've been thinking you had a crush on Daniel McMillon!"
"From ceramics class?" I winced. "Um, no, that's gross."
She rolled her eyes as she sat down on her bed. "Well, you're always super nice to him."
"That's because he doesn't have any friends."
"Yeah, because his breath smells."
"Auden!" I yelled, my eyes wide.
"What? It does!" She shrugged. "Anyway, I totally thought you liked him because you always sit with him in class."
"I do not like Daniel." I shook my head with certainty.
"Well, that's a relief…although I have to say, liking my brother is kinda up there as far as the ick factor goes. I mean, c'mon, it's Jason. I mean, ew."
"He's not 'ew' to me."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Umm, I kinda lost track."
"Seriously?" A look of absolute betrayal crossed her melodramatic face.
"It's been a while, all right? Remember, vault."
"Vault, I know. Okay, so you got him the shirt. What else have you done for him?"
"Nothing."
"Well, he seemed to like it."
"I know, right?" I said, finally smiling as I remembered the sweet expression of gratitude on Jason's handsome fifteen-year-old face.
I looked to my best friend for approval, "Are you sure it's okay?"
"You liking my brother?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Yes." I nodded.
"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged again. "I mean, ick. But, fine."
"Vault?"
"Vault. I promise."
Jason grinned as he looked down at his t-shirt. "Yep, still haven't kicked the habit."
Auden rolled her eyes. I had to laugh at their rapport. So close one minute, and embarrassed of one another the next. It made me long for a sibling.
As soon as Auden's parents and her sister Maya arrived, we were seated at a large table with brightly colored wooden chairs. Quickly, Auden ordered two pitchers of margaritas for the table. I ordered myself a Sprite, knowing alcohol was no longer an option. That was just the beginning of the many changes I would have to make. I wasn't a huge drinker, but it was a consciousness that I'd never had to worry about before. I'd never had to protect another life before. I'd never had to put the needs of a tiny, helpless human above my own. The realization of that responsibility rolled over me like a wave. I could feel the blood draining from my cheeks.
"Haddie," Jason whispered from the seat next to mine, "is everything all right? You don't look so good."
I shook my head, staring off into space as I reached for my water glass. It was Auden's night and I would not spoil it.
"Oh geez, sorry. I'm just getting over a bug."
"No, you're not," Auden interrupted, suspicion written all over her face.
"Auden," Mrs. Kelly snapped.
Auden raised her arms in front of her. "I just don't remember you being sick."
"It's no big deal," I said, taking another sip. "I'm fine. Totally fine."
As the family caught up on the day's events, I was able to take several deep breaths. I could feel my body relaxing. When the margaritas arrived, Auden poured me a glass automatically. I didn't stop her or turn the glass away. I hoped that if I just let the glass sit in front of my place setting, no one would notice that it was still full at the end of our meal.
My plan was working well. The Kelly family imbibed their cocktails and ordered food. Small talk was heard around the table as well as funny stories about Auden's childhood. When our food arrived, though, Jason leaned in close.
"So…how's your job?"
In between bites, I said, "It's wonderful. I love it."
"Awesome," he said, smiling at me. "I know you take your clients on field trips, but what else are you doing for Sunnyside?"
He seemed genuinely interested in my work and I loved that. Tucker had barely asked me a handful of questions about my work since I accepted the job. He didn't think it was "worthy" of my education.
"I teach basic skills like coin recognition and
"I knew it!" she yelled, pointing her finger at me. "Why didn't you tell me? You're my best friend! I need to know these things. All this time, I've been thinking you had a crush on Daniel McMillon!"
"From ceramics class?" I winced. "Um, no, that's gross."
She rolled her eyes as she sat down on her bed. "Well, you're always super nice to him."
"That's because he doesn't have any friends."
"Yeah, because his breath smells."
"Auden!" I yelled, my eyes wide.
"What? It does!" She shrugged. "Anyway, I totally thought you liked him because you always sit with him in class."
"I do not like Daniel." I shook my head with certainty.
"Well, that's a relief…although I have to say, liking my brother is kinda up there as far as the ick factor goes. I mean, c'mon, it's Jason. I mean, ew."
"He's not 'ew' to me."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Umm, I kinda lost track."
"Seriously?" A look of absolute betrayal crossed her melodramatic face.
"It's been a while, all right? Remember, vault."
"Vault, I know. Okay, so you got him the shirt. What else have you done for him?"
"Nothing."
"Well, he seemed to like it."
"I know, right?" I said, finally smiling as I remembered the sweet expression of gratitude on Jason's handsome fifteen-year-old face.
I looked to my best friend for approval, "Are you sure it's okay?"
"You liking my brother?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.
"Yes." I nodded.
"Yeah, I guess." She shrugged again. "I mean, ick. But, fine."
"Vault?"
"Vault. I promise."
Jason grinned as he looked down at his t-shirt. "Yep, still haven't kicked the habit."
Auden rolled her eyes. I had to laugh at their rapport. So close one minute, and embarrassed of one another the next. It made me long for a sibling.
As soon as Auden's parents and her sister Maya arrived, we were seated at a large table with brightly colored wooden chairs. Quickly, Auden ordered two pitchers of margaritas for the table. I ordered myself a Sprite, knowing alcohol was no longer an option. That was just the beginning of the many changes I would have to make. I wasn't a huge drinker, but it was a consciousness that I'd never had to worry about before. I'd never had to protect another life before. I'd never had to put the needs of a tiny, helpless human above my own. The realization of that responsibility rolled over me like a wave. I could feel the blood draining from my cheeks.
"Haddie," Jason whispered from the seat next to mine, "is everything all right? You don't look so good."
I shook my head, staring off into space as I reached for my water glass. It was Auden's night and I would not spoil it.
"Oh geez, sorry. I'm just getting over a bug."
"No, you're not," Auden interrupted, suspicion written all over her face.
"Auden," Mrs. Kelly snapped.
Auden raised her arms in front of her. "I just don't remember you being sick."
"It's no big deal," I said, taking another sip. "I'm fine. Totally fine."
As the family caught up on the day's events, I was able to take several deep breaths. I could feel my body relaxing. When the margaritas arrived, Auden poured me a glass automatically. I didn't stop her or turn the glass away. I hoped that if I just let the glass sit in front of my place setting, no one would notice that it was still full at the end of our meal.
My plan was working well. The Kelly family imbibed their cocktails and ordered food. Small talk was heard around the table as well as funny stories about Auden's childhood. When our food arrived, though, Jason leaned in close.
"So…how's your job?"
In between bites, I said, "It's wonderful. I love it."
"Awesome," he said, smiling at me. "I know you take your clients on field trips, but what else are you doing for Sunnyside?"
He seemed genuinely interested in my work and I loved that. Tucker had barely asked me a handful of questions about my work since I accepted the job. He didn't think it was "worthy" of my education.
"I teach basic skills like coin recognition and
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