Read Online Tangled Thoughts by Cara Bertrand - Free Book Online Page A

I—finally—had another friend.
    My old friend was still waiting for me in the living room. I settled back onto my end of the couch and put my feet up on the coffee table.
    â€œWhat’re you doing tonight?” Amy asked as I sat down.
    â€œI think you’re looking at it.” I glanced over at her. Maybe this was what she wanted to talk about. “Did you want to just stay here? Get takeout and watch a movie?”
    She shook her head. “I mean, I do, but I should go. I have a date later.”
    â€œA
what
?”
    She grinned. “A
phone
date.”
    â€œOn Saturday night?”
    Amy wrapped one of her curls around her finger. “It’s the only time Caleb’s roommate isn’t around.”
    â€œWhat difference does—” I started to say, but I figured it out by the way Amy’s grin had spread. I felt my cheeks light up and I put my hands over them. “Ew. Okay. Well, have fun then.”
    She opened her mouth to say something, then paused. Instead of whatever she
really
wanted to talk about, she nodded toward the door and said, “She was cool.”
    â€œShe is,” I agreed. “She’s…kind of like you; I wondered if you’d get along.”
    Amy cut me a look. “You doubted me? I get along with
everyone
.”
    â€œOh yeah?” I laughed. “Since when? You tolerate your roommate, you hate your lab partner, and let’s not even
mention
a few names from high school.”
    Bingo. A look passed over Amy’s face, like I’d just opened a door she’d been locked on the other side of. She cleared her throat delicately. “Speaking of high school—”
    â€œNo, Ame.”
    â€œWe can’t even talk about it?”
    I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I’m not coming.” Next weekend was homecoming. I stood up and walked over to my fireplace. On the mantel were two silver candlesticks, one of them dented. I touched that one, letting the familiar hum of its macabre history buzz beneath my fingertips, though I didn’t let the vision come.
    Amy was standing now too. “Don’t you want to see our friends?”
    â€œI do,” I said while I bent to turn on the gas burner so I could light the flames, “but I’m not going.”
    â€œWhat about Brooke?” she pressed. “Don’t you miss her?” That hurt, and Amy knew it. My lips flattened into a thin line, but I didn’t say anything. I did miss Brooke. I felt shitty enough about how I’d left our friendship, and the urge to text her, to apologize was strong. But I just couldn’t do it. Brooke was Sententia, and if I stayed in touch with her, I’d still be connected. I’d had to let her go.
    â€œLane,” Amy continued, and the tone in her voice finally made me turn around. She didn’t look angry, or irritated, which I’d have preferred. She looked…sad. It hurt to think I was making her sad. “I don’t understand.” She sank back onto the couch and I moved to sit next to her.
    â€œI know. But I do. You don’t have to make excuses for me. Just say hi to…everyone for me.”
    Her pretty brown eyes, which were tired but clear now and always too smart, didn’t waver from mine as she asked, “Is Carter part of ‘everyone’?”
    I blew out a puff of air. Hearing her say his name hurt too. “I think it’s best if you just don’t mention me to him at all. If he’s even there.”
    â€œThat’s really why, right? You don’t want to risk seeing him?”
    â€œIt didn’t go well last time.”
    â€œThat was months ago, Lane.”
    I shrugged. It didn’t matter how long ago it was; it hadn’t been long
enough
. Visiting him in DC at the end of the summer had been a Mistake with a capital M. I could still picture Alexis Morrow’s cold smile through the window in the conference