Read Online The Other Half of Me by Emily Franklin - Free Book Online
Authors: Emily Franklin
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like my congratulations are semi-hollow?
Sierra and Sage look at each other and drop their hold on my arm. They’ve picked up on it too. “You don’t seem that happy for us,” Sage says, and opens the car door. Sierra crawls into the backseat after her.
“Of course I’m happy for you!” I lean over and pop my head into the backseat before shutting the door. “Seriously, I’m so proud of you guys.”
They perk up a bit at hearing this, and it stings knowing that they never, ever say things like that to me. It’s strange—I keeping feeling as though I wish someone were here holding my hand, but I don’t know if that person is Tate or a half sibling. Either way, it’s as though I’m wishing for something that will only be a dream.
I get in the car and turn the key in the ignition. Sierra leans forward between the front seats so she can switch the radio to her and Sage’s favorite station. “You don’t mind, do you?”
It’s not worth arguing over. Two against one always wins.
“Hey, Jenny!” Sage rummages around in her bag for something. “I almost forgot.”
“Oh yeah, you need to give her the thing!” Sierra squeals.
“What is it?” I peer at them in the rearview mirror. “Another trophy? A medal? A gymnastics award?”
“No, there are too many of those to carry around,” Sage jokes.
A folded-up piece of paper flies out from the backseat and onto the dashboard.
I don’t have to open the folded piece of graph paper to recognize the handwriting. It’s a note from Tate Brodeur.
I think about reading it when I get to the safety of my room—that way the twins can’t try and sneak a peek at it—but I don’t have an ounce of patience.
I read each slanted letter with bated breath.
Hey JF
—
Can’t take the suspense, so end the torture already. Did you check the site? Circle Yes or No.
Inquisitively, TB
When I fold the note back up and put it in my left pocket, I remind myself that this definitely isn’t a dream.
NINE
An hour later I’m on my bed, rereading Tate’s note for the fifth time.
Yes or no? To circle or not to circle? I can’t help but fantasize about whether there’s some hidden meaning in this question, like he’s asking me if I’d like to be his girlfriend. But this piece of info is still another unknown entity, waiting to jump out at me from around an invisible corner.
My door opens without a knock. Sage is there in pounce mode. “Time for dinner.” She rolls her eyes when she sees what I’m reading. “Omigod, Jenny, could you be any lamer?”
“Could you be any more of a pain in my ass?” I jab at her. “Try knocking sometime. It’s the polite thing to do.”
“Like you even need privacy,” she laughs.
Sierra suddenly appears. Sage must have summoned her telepathically. “Maybe we should leave Jenny alone so she can check out certain Web sites…”
I reach behind me, grab a pillow, and throw it at them. “I can’t believe you read my letter.”
Sage and Sierra just snicker and are on their merry way.
I drag myself off my bed and into the hall. The twins are trotting ahead of me. As we come down the stairs, I can hear my parents discussing the pros and cons of setting up some sort of an obstacle course in our backyard, complete with swinging ropes and tires on the ground. That’s just what I need—another reminder of how uncoordinated I am in the family realm.
Sierra and Sage go into the kitchen to help Mom. I turn the corner to the living room, and suddenly Russ leaps out and shouts, “Jenny!”
I gasp and clutch at my heart.
Russ laughs. “Wow. That never gets old.”
“You suck, you know that?”
“Yes, I know,” he says, grinning. “So, Sierra and Sage told me there’s some Web site you want me to see.”
I resolve to berate the twins after dinner.
“Just ignore them, Russ,” I groan.
He squints at me. “What’s wrong?”
I shrug and frown. “Nothing.” A part of me wishes I could confide in him. But I
Sierra and Sage look at each other and drop their hold on my arm. They’ve picked up on it too. “You don’t seem that happy for us,” Sage says, and opens the car door. Sierra crawls into the backseat after her.
“Of course I’m happy for you!” I lean over and pop my head into the backseat before shutting the door. “Seriously, I’m so proud of you guys.”
They perk up a bit at hearing this, and it stings knowing that they never, ever say things like that to me. It’s strange—I keeping feeling as though I wish someone were here holding my hand, but I don’t know if that person is Tate or a half sibling. Either way, it’s as though I’m wishing for something that will only be a dream.
I get in the car and turn the key in the ignition. Sierra leans forward between the front seats so she can switch the radio to her and Sage’s favorite station. “You don’t mind, do you?”
It’s not worth arguing over. Two against one always wins.
“Hey, Jenny!” Sage rummages around in her bag for something. “I almost forgot.”
“Oh yeah, you need to give her the thing!” Sierra squeals.
“What is it?” I peer at them in the rearview mirror. “Another trophy? A medal? A gymnastics award?”
“No, there are too many of those to carry around,” Sage jokes.
A folded-up piece of paper flies out from the backseat and onto the dashboard.
I don’t have to open the folded piece of graph paper to recognize the handwriting. It’s a note from Tate Brodeur.
I think about reading it when I get to the safety of my room—that way the twins can’t try and sneak a peek at it—but I don’t have an ounce of patience.
I read each slanted letter with bated breath.
Hey JF
—
Can’t take the suspense, so end the torture already. Did you check the site? Circle Yes or No.
Inquisitively, TB
When I fold the note back up and put it in my left pocket, I remind myself that this definitely isn’t a dream.
NINE
An hour later I’m on my bed, rereading Tate’s note for the fifth time.
Yes or no? To circle or not to circle? I can’t help but fantasize about whether there’s some hidden meaning in this question, like he’s asking me if I’d like to be his girlfriend. But this piece of info is still another unknown entity, waiting to jump out at me from around an invisible corner.
My door opens without a knock. Sage is there in pounce mode. “Time for dinner.” She rolls her eyes when she sees what I’m reading. “Omigod, Jenny, could you be any lamer?”
“Could you be any more of a pain in my ass?” I jab at her. “Try knocking sometime. It’s the polite thing to do.”
“Like you even need privacy,” she laughs.
Sierra suddenly appears. Sage must have summoned her telepathically. “Maybe we should leave Jenny alone so she can check out certain Web sites…”
I reach behind me, grab a pillow, and throw it at them. “I can’t believe you read my letter.”
Sage and Sierra just snicker and are on their merry way.
I drag myself off my bed and into the hall. The twins are trotting ahead of me. As we come down the stairs, I can hear my parents discussing the pros and cons of setting up some sort of an obstacle course in our backyard, complete with swinging ropes and tires on the ground. That’s just what I need—another reminder of how uncoordinated I am in the family realm.
Sierra and Sage go into the kitchen to help Mom. I turn the corner to the living room, and suddenly Russ leaps out and shouts, “Jenny!”
I gasp and clutch at my heart.
Russ laughs. “Wow. That never gets old.”
“You suck, you know that?”
“Yes, I know,” he says, grinning. “So, Sierra and Sage told me there’s some Web site you want me to see.”
I resolve to berate the twins after dinner.
“Just ignore them, Russ,” I groan.
He squints at me. “What’s wrong?”
I shrug and frown. “Nothing.” A part of me wishes I could confide in him. But I
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