Read Online Something About Love: A YA contemporary romance in verse by Elana Johnson - Free Book Online Page A

still going to Preference with me, right?”
    “I—who would I go with?”
    The look on Jacey’s face says it all.

“I AM NOT ASKING TREVOR.”

“HE SUGGESTED YOU ASK HIM,”
    She says defensively,
    Leaning into the passenger window like I might hit her.
    The thought has crossed my mind.
    “He said he’d love to go with you.”
    “I can’t!” I practically yell.
    “He’s my freaking step-brother.
    Why does nobody get that but me?”
    My food sits untouched in the bag, and
    The accelerator pays the price of my wrath.
    I screech to a halt in my driveway,
    Snatch my food, and
    Stomp into my house.
    Jacey follows,
    A sheepish look on her face.
    My anger melts away as I flop onto the couch,
    Unwrap my burrito.
    I sigh.
    Everything was less complicated when
    I was still with Harris.
    Jacey and I could’ve gone to Preference
    Without any drama,
    She with her boyfriend, and
    Me with mine.
    “Sorry,” I mumble to my burrito wrapper.
    “I screwed everything up when I broke up with Harris.”
    I think about how I’ve lost so much more than a boyfriend.
    I can’t go back to high school,
    I don’t see anyone but Gramma-Linda and Jacey—and
    Stupid Trevor, because
    He pops over whenever he wants,
    Somehow getting himself invited to dinner.
    “No you didn’t,” Jacey says.
    “You needed to break up with Harris.
    I just wish—”
    Her eyes go wide, and
    She stuffs her mouth with a fistful of tots.
    “You wish what?” I ask.
    She shakes her head, then
    Takes a long drag of my Diet Coke.
    She barely has time to breathe before
    She fills her mouth with more food.
    I’ve known Jacey for years, and
    I recognize the signs of
    A) her stress-eating, and
    B) her tactics to keep a secret.
    “Jacey,” I warn. “You’re going to run out of tots in about four seconds.
    Then you’ll have to tell me.”
    She slows her chewing, but
    The inevitable still comes.
    When her food is gone,
    She sighs and leans back into the couch.
    She closes her eyes,
    Another method she uses to prolong the silence.
    “Spill,” I tell her, and
    She jerks her eyes open.
    “Okay, but just hear me out, okay?”
    She leans forward,
    Earnestly.
    “So we know Trevor still likes you.
    The real question is:
    How do you feel about him?”
    She holds up her hand
    When I open my mouth to speak.
    “I know, I know.
    You don’t think you guys can be together.
    But be honest with yourself, Livvy.
    If you don’t like him, fine.
    If you do, well…”
    She trails off, but
    There are too many ways to end that sentence.
    “You’re not related.
    That’s all I’m saying.”

“HOW ARE THINGS GOING WITH GRAMMA-LINDA?”
    My mother sits at the bar in
    The Youngblood’s kitchen,
    A cup of steaming coffee in front of her.
    “Fine,” I tell her as I open the fridge.
    I don’t know why I came downstairs when
    Dad bought ice cream bars for my tiny freezer upstairs.
    Still, I poke around in this foreign fridge
    For something good to eat.
    I find nothing.
    I should’ve known better.
    Mom’s never been one to stock pudding, or
    Anything that tastes remotely good.
    Mom sips from her cup,
    Taking little bits of my soul,
    As she continues to analyze me.
    I’m not facing her, but
    I can feel the weight of her stare
    As I rummage through kale,
    Cabbage, and
    Eggplant.
    I close the fridge and
    Turn to face her.
    “Can we order pizza?”
    Her eyes pinch for only a moment, but
    The photographer in me
    Sees it.
    “Sure,” she says.

“AND I DON’T EVEN HAVE TO TAKE A MATH CREDIT,”
    I finish.
    I’ve—surprisingly—
    Told Mom most of what Gramma-Linda is making me
    Do for homeschool.
    Between her,
    Me, and
    Rose,
    We’ve eaten almost two whole pizzas.
    Mom even bought soda and
    Cookie dough,
    Which I’ve just put in the oven.
    With Rose sitting between us,
    I don’t feel such tension from my mother.
    She catches my eye and
    Smiles.
    I return it before I can stop myself.
    I can see it makes her immensely happy, and
    I suddenly feel like crying.
    I stand