Read Online The Libby Garrett Intervention (Science Squad #2) by Kelly Oram - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kelly Oram
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for a night session tomorrow. It’ll be fun.”
“Yeah,” Dad added with a laugh, “and you could use the drive there and back to contemplate your graduation present decision.”
Crap. My parents were in such a good mood. They’d been so good to me today, and I really didn’t want to let them down, but I’d already promised Owen I’d spend the weekend with him. He’d felt guilty for ditching me last weekend when Avery and Grayson caught us at Jo’s, and booked us a night at a fancy hotel in Salt Lake.
The smile fell off my mom’s face. “You don’t want to come?”
“No, I do. Of course I do.” I sighed. I didn’t want to let them down, but I couldn’t blow off Owen, either. “I just already have plans with Owen all day tomorrow. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to make it.”
“So stay home tonight, and invite Owen to come up with you in the morning,” Dad suggested. “I’ll bet he won’t mind. Most guys think that kind of thing is cool. It’s a lot better of a date than going to some cheesy girl movie.”
“I’ll ask him,” I said, though I seriously doubted he’d want to come. He probably would like watching the competition, but he’s got issues with meeting parents.
“It’s my last one, honey. I’d really love for you to be there.”
“I know, Dad. I don’t want to miss it. I’ll try to be there.”
Dad smiled at me in the rearview mirror again, but I saw the strain in it. We rode in silence to the hotel where my parents were staying. Once we pulled up to the valet, I got out to climb into the driver’s seat. As we waited for the bellman to gather my parents’ luggage from the trunk, I gave my dad a good luck hug. “I’ll try to be there,” I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “But just in case I don’t make it, you’re going to kick derrière tomorrow. I know it.”
“Thanks, kid.”
He forced another smile, trying to hide his disappointment, but I saw it, and I swallowed. Hard. One glance at my mom told me she was doing her best to look happy, too. Guilt swelled in my chest, and I couldn’t get Avery’s intervention out of my head—all the disappointment and all the accusations that had been thrown at me. “Have I…changed this year?” I asked, surprising all three of us.
I’ve never been one to be very open with my parents. I love them, but they’re good-looking, popular, athletic people. As much as I admire them and get along with them, I’ve never felt that they understood me. At least, they couldn’t relate to the kinds of struggles I had anyway, so I’ve never tried to share it with them.
After exchanging a look, Dad put his arm around Mom and let her do the talking. “Everyone changes, Libby. It’s expected at your age.”
“Yeah, I guess, but…” I bit my lip. I suddenly wasn’t sure I’d be able to speak without my voice breaking. “Do you think I’ve changed in a bad way? Are you disappointed in me?”
I got another round of forced—almost pained—smiles. “You’re growing up,” Dad said. “We know that’s not easy. Sometimes it takes a while to really figure it out.”
So that was a big, fat yes. First my friends were upset with me, and now my parents—they were just too nice to say it directly.
Mom must have read my thoughts in my expression. “We’re not disappointed in you, Libby. We’re worried. We know you’ve been struggling lately.”
“If you’ve been worried, why haven’t you said anything?”
Dad sighed and handed the valet guy a tip. “Give us just a minute.”
The guy nodded, and Dad walked me over to a bench outside the front door of the hotel. He and Mom sat on either side of me. “You know how Grandpa and I don’t have the best relationship, right?” he asked.
I snorted. Not the best relationship? More like completely dysfunctional. Grandpa was okay, but he and my dad couldn’t be in the same room for more than five minutes without getting in a fight.
“Well, when I was your age, if you
“Yeah,” Dad added with a laugh, “and you could use the drive there and back to contemplate your graduation present decision.”
Crap. My parents were in such a good mood. They’d been so good to me today, and I really didn’t want to let them down, but I’d already promised Owen I’d spend the weekend with him. He’d felt guilty for ditching me last weekend when Avery and Grayson caught us at Jo’s, and booked us a night at a fancy hotel in Salt Lake.
The smile fell off my mom’s face. “You don’t want to come?”
“No, I do. Of course I do.” I sighed. I didn’t want to let them down, but I couldn’t blow off Owen, either. “I just already have plans with Owen all day tomorrow. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to make it.”
“So stay home tonight, and invite Owen to come up with you in the morning,” Dad suggested. “I’ll bet he won’t mind. Most guys think that kind of thing is cool. It’s a lot better of a date than going to some cheesy girl movie.”
“I’ll ask him,” I said, though I seriously doubted he’d want to come. He probably would like watching the competition, but he’s got issues with meeting parents.
“It’s my last one, honey. I’d really love for you to be there.”
“I know, Dad. I don’t want to miss it. I’ll try to be there.”
Dad smiled at me in the rearview mirror again, but I saw the strain in it. We rode in silence to the hotel where my parents were staying. Once we pulled up to the valet, I got out to climb into the driver’s seat. As we waited for the bellman to gather my parents’ luggage from the trunk, I gave my dad a good luck hug. “I’ll try to be there,” I said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. “But just in case I don’t make it, you’re going to kick derrière tomorrow. I know it.”
“Thanks, kid.”
He forced another smile, trying to hide his disappointment, but I saw it, and I swallowed. Hard. One glance at my mom told me she was doing her best to look happy, too. Guilt swelled in my chest, and I couldn’t get Avery’s intervention out of my head—all the disappointment and all the accusations that had been thrown at me. “Have I…changed this year?” I asked, surprising all three of us.
I’ve never been one to be very open with my parents. I love them, but they’re good-looking, popular, athletic people. As much as I admire them and get along with them, I’ve never felt that they understood me. At least, they couldn’t relate to the kinds of struggles I had anyway, so I’ve never tried to share it with them.
After exchanging a look, Dad put his arm around Mom and let her do the talking. “Everyone changes, Libby. It’s expected at your age.”
“Yeah, I guess, but…” I bit my lip. I suddenly wasn’t sure I’d be able to speak without my voice breaking. “Do you think I’ve changed in a bad way? Are you disappointed in me?”
I got another round of forced—almost pained—smiles. “You’re growing up,” Dad said. “We know that’s not easy. Sometimes it takes a while to really figure it out.”
So that was a big, fat yes. First my friends were upset with me, and now my parents—they were just too nice to say it directly.
Mom must have read my thoughts in my expression. “We’re not disappointed in you, Libby. We’re worried. We know you’ve been struggling lately.”
“If you’ve been worried, why haven’t you said anything?”
Dad sighed and handed the valet guy a tip. “Give us just a minute.”
The guy nodded, and Dad walked me over to a bench outside the front door of the hotel. He and Mom sat on either side of me. “You know how Grandpa and I don’t have the best relationship, right?” he asked.
I snorted. Not the best relationship? More like completely dysfunctional. Grandpa was okay, but he and my dad couldn’t be in the same room for more than five minutes without getting in a fight.
“Well, when I was your age, if you
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