Read Online The Dream Where the Losers Go by Beth Goobie - Free Book Online
Authors: Beth Goobie
Ads: Link
with Viv. With a sigh, she settled against Jigger’s shoulder. The day’s first problem had been solved and it wasn’t even 8:30.
“Oh,” she said, suddenly remembering. “I have to meet my tutor for lunch.” She held her breath, waiting. Was Jigger going to get mad?
“What do they think, you’re gonna be—a university professor?” He didn’t seem to be angry, just irritated, his fingers tapping rapidly against the steering wheel.
“I guess they think I need extra ABCs.” Skey snuggled closer. “Why don’t you turn down that street?” she said, pointing. “We’ve got fifteen minutes, don’t we?”
“You got it,” he said, his voice growing husky again.
She closed her eyes and rode the car’s smooth turn as if they were going anywhere, Jigger could take her anywhere she wanted. The turn was so smooth, it was almost like traveling under a summer sky in the middle of a blue afternoon, with nothing to do. She just had to close her eyes, settle back into his body, and her dreams would take them there.
T AMMY HAD GOTTEN there first. When Skey arrived, she saw her tutor sitting at a table in the empty office, textbooks stacked in a neat skyscraper and surveying her empire with a satisfied expression. Drooping under her own armload of books, Skey stood in the Counseling office lobby and watched the other girl. What on earth could possess a teenage girl to volunteer to tutor another teenage girl? That meant reading and completing homework assignments that weren’t even her own. Who was Tammy Nanji—the next Mother Teresa? If she thought Skey was a leper begging for a cure, she had another thing coming.
Skey walked slowly into the office, keeping her gaze directly on Tammy. Just as directly, Tammy eyed her back. Choosing a chair opposite, Skey sat down and the girls continued to watch each other in silence. Behind her thick glasses, Tammy’s enlarged eyes were very determined. Skey had thought she would be able to stare her down easily, but Tammy’s gaze held. As the silence between them lengthened,the air grew dark and a tunnel began to take shape around Skey. Determinedly she fought it off, digging her fingernails into her palms, shaking her head and swallowing hard.
“So, what’s up, Doc?” she asked, giving in first, her eyes flicking away from Tammy’s, then back again.
Tammy didn’t blink. “What do you want to do?” she asked calmly.
Skey shrugged. “Whatever,” she said.
“What are you having problems with?” asked Tammy.
“I’m not having problems,” said Skey.
Another silence began, bringing a second stare fight. Tammy took a long deep breath.
“I feel an incredible need to piss,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’ll be back in five minutes. If you’re here, we can get to work. I’d suggest Algebra. If you’re not here, I guess that means I’ve got free lunch hours until they find someone who wants help.” She leaned forward and added, “Whoopee.” Then she walked out.
The room was suddenly full of wings, panic swooping in from every direction. The breathing, it was the breathing that got Skey—the way air faded so she couldn’t get any. Sliding her hand into her pocket, she touched the rock. Immediately there was darkness, the boy sitting next to her, his breathing slow, even.
“You’re here again,” he said.
She paced her breathing down to his.
“I can tell when you’re coming in from the other side,” he said. “The air changes. There’s an electric tingle.”
“Positive vibes?” she asked.
“It’s a buzz,” he said. “Somewhere between blue and green.”
Alarm jerked through her. “You can see me?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “It’s just a feeling—the way blue-green feels. Not a happy camper.”
“First day of a bruise,” she said softly.
“Something like that,” he agreed.
“What do you do,” she asked, “when you’ve pissed someone off? It’s someone you don’t like much and you wouldn’t care, except she
“Oh,” she said, suddenly remembering. “I have to meet my tutor for lunch.” She held her breath, waiting. Was Jigger going to get mad?
“What do they think, you’re gonna be—a university professor?” He didn’t seem to be angry, just irritated, his fingers tapping rapidly against the steering wheel.
“I guess they think I need extra ABCs.” Skey snuggled closer. “Why don’t you turn down that street?” she said, pointing. “We’ve got fifteen minutes, don’t we?”
“You got it,” he said, his voice growing husky again.
She closed her eyes and rode the car’s smooth turn as if they were going anywhere, Jigger could take her anywhere she wanted. The turn was so smooth, it was almost like traveling under a summer sky in the middle of a blue afternoon, with nothing to do. She just had to close her eyes, settle back into his body, and her dreams would take them there.
T AMMY HAD GOTTEN there first. When Skey arrived, she saw her tutor sitting at a table in the empty office, textbooks stacked in a neat skyscraper and surveying her empire with a satisfied expression. Drooping under her own armload of books, Skey stood in the Counseling office lobby and watched the other girl. What on earth could possess a teenage girl to volunteer to tutor another teenage girl? That meant reading and completing homework assignments that weren’t even her own. Who was Tammy Nanji—the next Mother Teresa? If she thought Skey was a leper begging for a cure, she had another thing coming.
Skey walked slowly into the office, keeping her gaze directly on Tammy. Just as directly, Tammy eyed her back. Choosing a chair opposite, Skey sat down and the girls continued to watch each other in silence. Behind her thick glasses, Tammy’s enlarged eyes were very determined. Skey had thought she would be able to stare her down easily, but Tammy’s gaze held. As the silence between them lengthened,the air grew dark and a tunnel began to take shape around Skey. Determinedly she fought it off, digging her fingernails into her palms, shaking her head and swallowing hard.
“So, what’s up, Doc?” she asked, giving in first, her eyes flicking away from Tammy’s, then back again.
Tammy didn’t blink. “What do you want to do?” she asked calmly.
Skey shrugged. “Whatever,” she said.
“What are you having problems with?” asked Tammy.
“I’m not having problems,” said Skey.
Another silence began, bringing a second stare fight. Tammy took a long deep breath.
“I feel an incredible need to piss,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’ll be back in five minutes. If you’re here, we can get to work. I’d suggest Algebra. If you’re not here, I guess that means I’ve got free lunch hours until they find someone who wants help.” She leaned forward and added, “Whoopee.” Then she walked out.
The room was suddenly full of wings, panic swooping in from every direction. The breathing, it was the breathing that got Skey—the way air faded so she couldn’t get any. Sliding her hand into her pocket, she touched the rock. Immediately there was darkness, the boy sitting next to her, his breathing slow, even.
“You’re here again,” he said.
She paced her breathing down to his.
“I can tell when you’re coming in from the other side,” he said. “The air changes. There’s an electric tingle.”
“Positive vibes?” she asked.
“It’s a buzz,” he said. “Somewhere between blue and green.”
Alarm jerked through her. “You can see me?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “It’s just a feeling—the way blue-green feels. Not a happy camper.”
“First day of a bruise,” she said softly.
“Something like that,” he agreed.
“What do you do,” she asked, “when you’ve pissed someone off? It’s someone you don’t like much and you wouldn’t care, except she
Similar Books
