Read Online Tell Me by Joan Bauer - Free Book Online Page B

back up.
    Taylor motions me forward.
    â€œI got thrown once,” I mention.
    â€œHow old were you when it happened?”
    â€œI was ten. I’m twelve now.” I wish I could say I was a more significant age, like fourteen.
    She nods. “I was twelve once. Now I’m sixteen.”
    â€œSo how was it for you—being twelve?”
    â€œNot so good. That’s when my mom died.”
    Nice one, Anna. Open your fat yap and ruin everything. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be—”
    â€œIt’s okay.”
    No it’s not. “I’m sorry you lost your mom.”
    â€œIt was bad. Everything hurt.” She rubs Zoe. “I didn’t even want to be thirteen, not without Mom.”
    Zoe shakes her head. Taylor smiles at me. “I thought my life was over, but all of it got me here. This is a good place to be. Here’s the synopsis: my father started dating all these women—he wanted a new wife and he found one.”
    â€œDo you like her?”
    â€œNo.”
    I need to stop asking questions.
    â€œI lived with them for two years, nine months, and seventeen days.”
    Zoe neighs in her stall. “We’ll get to you in a minute,” she tells the horse. Taylor pushes her straw cowboy hat back. “I asked my dad to send me to boarding school—he said it was too expensive. I got to the right place eventually.”
    I mention my dad’s anger. “That’s part of why I’m here,” I tell her.
    â€œSo we’re both tough.” Taylor opens the door to Zoe’s stall. “Zoe got here three weeks after I did. I think we saved each other. Right, Zoe?”
    Zoe gives Taylor a push with her nose. Taylor laughs. She hands me the reins. “Do you really want to knowher?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œStretch out your hand, then.”
    I stretch out my right hand with the yellow scrunchie.
    I look at Zoe from the side, I can tell she’s waiting. “So, Zoe, this is my hand, my right hand, and I do want to mention that I’m right-handed, so if you were thinking about, say, biting it or eating some of my fingers, that would be bad.”
    Zoe sniffs my hand.
    I look at this white horse with gray and black spots. “I really like you,” I say.
    Taylor makes a clicking sound. Zoe turns her head. “Get on, Anna.”
    Uh, this is kind of quick. I like the concept of riding a horse, not—
    Zoe shakes her head.
    â€œMaybe she doesn’t want me to—”
    â€œPut your foot in the stirrup.”
    Taylor gives me a lift up. It doesn’t take much, and here I am, up on this horse. Up on top of the world. “We’re not going fast, right?”
    â€œNot yet.” Taylor takes the reins and walks Zoe backand forth. I like being high, but I tense a little; Zoe shakes her head fast and neighs.
    â€œShe can tell you’re nervous just now.”
    â€œShe can?”
    Taylor pats her. “It’s okay, girl. It’s fine.”
    Zoe backs up and turns around and heads out of the barn. “Uh, this horse is moving. . . .”
    Taylor laughs. “Enjoy it!”
    I do, sort of, but Zoe keeps going toward the riding ring.
    â€œPull the reins and say, ‘Whoa, girl.’”
    I do this, but my voice doesn’t sound like I mean it. Zoe seems to be waiting for a strong voice here, because now she’s just walking off on her own with me on her back.
    â€œHow are you feeling?” Taylor asks.
    â€œLike I might need rescuing. . . .” I remember getting thrown over the fence, landing hard on my hands.
    â€œThere’s probably lots of things you need, Anna, but I don’t think rescuing is one of them.”
    â€œWhoa, Zoe.” I pull the reins, and instantly she stops. I pat her neck. “Good girl.”
    Taylor walks over smiling, and suddenly I realize that the whole time I’ve been with this horse I haven’tthought about