Read Online Stacy's Song by Jacqueline Seewald - Free Book Online

tiger.
    â€œWhat is it?” I asked. I didn’t understand his mood swing.
    â€œLook, we better keep it just friends. I’m not good for you. I bring nothing but grief and misery to the people I care about.”
    â€œThat’s not true,” I tried to reassure him, but I realized I couldn’t.
    â€œI’m trouble,” he returned, shaking with anger. The old Michael was back again.
    â€œI care about you,” I told him. I d on’t know where I got the nerve but I’ve never been one for pretenses anyway.
    â€œI have feelings for you too, but it’s wrong. I can’t allow it to happen.”
    â€œLet’s talk about i t.” I put my hand on his arm; he brushed it away.
    â€œThere’s nothing to talk about. It’s no good. I’m no good.”
    â€œMaybe I’m not the one you should talk to about this. But you ought to discuss y our feelings with someone. You ought to talk to your mother.”
    He shook his head with vehemence and his hair moved like a wheat field in the wind. “She’d be th e last one! My mother works ten sometimes twelve hours a day. She pays for me to go to my special school. She pays all the bills. She ha s to work hard but she works even harder than she needs to. You want to know why? It’s not just for the money. It’s because she doesn’t want to see me or talk to me. She doesn’t want to be around here when I am.”
    â€œYou must be imagining that.”
    â€œYou think so? She hates me! She can’t stand the sight of me.”
    â€œNo , Michael , that can’t be true!” I tried to approach him, but he walked away.
    â€œI ruined her life. When my father died, her life ended too.”
    â€œYou shouldn’t be thinking stuff like that.”
    He wasn’t listening; he just kept pacing and talking as if to himself. “Someday, I’m going to pay her back, pay off every cent she’s had to spend on me.” He returned to the piano. “Let’s go make some music. When I’m working on that, I can close out everything else.”
    I sat beside him again at the p iano except that special moment we had shared was gone. I felt a deep sorrow, a sense of loss, like I’d lost something precious. Tears welled up in my eyes, but Michael was unaware. He was closing out everything except his music, and that included me. I bit down on my lower lip, shaking my head in misery.
    *** *
    The next evening I phoned Liz. I wasn’t seeing much of Karen these days so I decided to become better friends with Liz, although she was also busy. I invited Liz to come to the pool on her day off during the week. Liz worked for her mother who managed a dress shop in the mall. She had to work Saturdays and late on several even ings but she had Tuesdays off.
    Liz turned out to be a fun companion. She was totally unspoiled. She appreciated everything. Seeing the swim club through her eyes was like seeing it again for the first time. Unlike me, she took nothing for granted. She tried tennis, horseback riding and racquetbal l. By the time we hit the water I felt exhausted but she still seemed exhilarated.
    â€œThis place is wonderful,” she exclaimed over lunch. “How terrific that you can come here everyday!”
    I agreed with her but found it difficult to feel much enthusiasm. “How is Michael?” I asked.
    She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “He’s preoccupied , you could say. He’s been working on somethi ng new. It’s a surprise for you but don’t let on I told you. You know how temperamental he is. He’ll just get angry at me.”
    â€œNo, I won’t say a word. Bu t what sort of surprise is it?”
    *** *
    Liz wouldn’t tell me anything else. I kept wondering about it. I didn’t get to see Michael Wednesday night either because my parents were all set to take us on vacation. Dad took time off from the office. Since he is