Read Online Twist My Charm by Toni Gallagher - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Toni Gallagher
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whether or not things are working out with Madison and Sam and Larry—well, not really. All I’m doing is shouting (inside my head, of course),
Say something, Dad! Say something to Terri right now!
But he’s taking another long, leisurely sip of his punch.
Come on, Dad! A minute ago you were avoiding the punch with every comment you could think of. Now you love it?
Ten little words, Dad! Talk to Terri about anything! Life on Mars, the mess I made in the kitchen, whether or not her cat sheds in the summer. I don’t care; just say something to her!
Finally Dad speaks. “Hey! I’m surprised we didn’t see you already tonight. How are you doing?” In my head, I count the number of words Dad just said. It’s more than ten. The only problem is that Dad was not looking at Terri when he said them. I turn my head in the direction he’s facing.
It’s Paige.
Samantha’s mom. A third wheel on what should have been a bicycle. Looking perfect as always with her long, shiny black hair and tight-fitting skirt and blouse.
“Good to see you, Bradley,” Paige says, leaning in to kiss the air beside his cheek. Oh no! Sam’s mom liked him once, and now if the love potion works, he’s not only going to like her back, he’s going to
love
her!
And it will be all my fault.
T he adults are all friendly and smiley as Dad introduces Terri to Paige. Dad’s plenty chatty, sharing lots and lots of words with Terri now that it’s too late.
When Terri broke up with Dad, I remember her being upset—well, not really upset, but sad—thinking Dad was spending a lot of time with Paige. That was back when Samantha and I were so close we wanted to be sisters, and we thought if her mom married my dad, it would be the best thing ever. But I know better now. If I know anything about love—and I’m definitely learning a lot from Ryder Landry’s songs—there’s a person out there who’s right for you. Ryder calls it your
Only One.
Sure, people can date and like each other and even think they’re in love, but there’s only one
real
one out there. One
right
one.
Terri is definitely Dad’s
Only One.
When there’s a pause in the conversation, Dad takes another sip of his drink and makes a face. “That is really…unusual punch,” he says.
Really, Dad?
I think.
If you thought it was that interesting, why didn’t you tell Terri when you needed to?
I stand there, stunned by everything that’s happened. There’s only one thing I can do now, and it’s the opposite of what I thought I’d want tonight.
I have to hope the love potion doesn’t work.
Standing with Dad, Terri, and Paige, I want to get away as fast as possible. “I’ve…uh…gotta go,” I say. “I still haven’t seen Madison’s or Sam’s stuff. Bye!”
I zoom through our art gallery gym, frantically searching for Madison…Sam…Larry…Ryder Landry’s head…anything to get away from the big, dumb mistake I made. I need to warn Madison
not
to do anything. I should have known better than to mess with magic. Something can always go wrong. I just forgot for one tiny moment. But I can’t give up now, because I need to fix what I’ve done. And how in the world am I supposed to do that?
Down an aisle my eye catches a glimpse of yellow hair, puffier and even more canary-colored than Mrs. Paddington’s.
It’s Ryder Landry’s head—with a wig on top, it looks like.
In front of the head is Madison. Alone. Maybe that’s good. Maybe nothing else has gone wrong.
I join her. “Ryder looks great,” I say. I have to say something.
“Oh, he looks bad,” she says. “I couldn’t make the hair work with chicken wire, so my mom gave me a wig, but I’m about as good a hairdresser as I am at papier-mâché.”
Before I knew Madison for real, I thought she was great at everything. Now I look at Ryder—skin too orange, teeth too big and white, eyelashes too fake—and I know Madison isn’t perfect. I like that in a friend, I decide. Samantha isn’t perfect
Say something, Dad! Say something to Terri right now!
But he’s taking another long, leisurely sip of his punch.
Come on, Dad! A minute ago you were avoiding the punch with every comment you could think of. Now you love it?
Ten little words, Dad! Talk to Terri about anything! Life on Mars, the mess I made in the kitchen, whether or not her cat sheds in the summer. I don’t care; just say something to her!
Finally Dad speaks. “Hey! I’m surprised we didn’t see you already tonight. How are you doing?” In my head, I count the number of words Dad just said. It’s more than ten. The only problem is that Dad was not looking at Terri when he said them. I turn my head in the direction he’s facing.
It’s Paige.
Samantha’s mom. A third wheel on what should have been a bicycle. Looking perfect as always with her long, shiny black hair and tight-fitting skirt and blouse.
“Good to see you, Bradley,” Paige says, leaning in to kiss the air beside his cheek. Oh no! Sam’s mom liked him once, and now if the love potion works, he’s not only going to like her back, he’s going to
love
her!
And it will be all my fault.
T he adults are all friendly and smiley as Dad introduces Terri to Paige. Dad’s plenty chatty, sharing lots and lots of words with Terri now that it’s too late.
When Terri broke up with Dad, I remember her being upset—well, not really upset, but sad—thinking Dad was spending a lot of time with Paige. That was back when Samantha and I were so close we wanted to be sisters, and we thought if her mom married my dad, it would be the best thing ever. But I know better now. If I know anything about love—and I’m definitely learning a lot from Ryder Landry’s songs—there’s a person out there who’s right for you. Ryder calls it your
Only One.
Sure, people can date and like each other and even think they’re in love, but there’s only one
real
one out there. One
right
one.
Terri is definitely Dad’s
Only One.
When there’s a pause in the conversation, Dad takes another sip of his drink and makes a face. “That is really…unusual punch,” he says.
Really, Dad?
I think.
If you thought it was that interesting, why didn’t you tell Terri when you needed to?
I stand there, stunned by everything that’s happened. There’s only one thing I can do now, and it’s the opposite of what I thought I’d want tonight.
I have to hope the love potion doesn’t work.
Standing with Dad, Terri, and Paige, I want to get away as fast as possible. “I’ve…uh…gotta go,” I say. “I still haven’t seen Madison’s or Sam’s stuff. Bye!”
I zoom through our art gallery gym, frantically searching for Madison…Sam…Larry…Ryder Landry’s head…anything to get away from the big, dumb mistake I made. I need to warn Madison
not
to do anything. I should have known better than to mess with magic. Something can always go wrong. I just forgot for one tiny moment. But I can’t give up now, because I need to fix what I’ve done. And how in the world am I supposed to do that?
Down an aisle my eye catches a glimpse of yellow hair, puffier and even more canary-colored than Mrs. Paddington’s.
It’s Ryder Landry’s head—with a wig on top, it looks like.
In front of the head is Madison. Alone. Maybe that’s good. Maybe nothing else has gone wrong.
I join her. “Ryder looks great,” I say. I have to say something.
“Oh, he looks bad,” she says. “I couldn’t make the hair work with chicken wire, so my mom gave me a wig, but I’m about as good a hairdresser as I am at papier-mâché.”
Before I knew Madison for real, I thought she was great at everything. Now I look at Ryder—skin too orange, teeth too big and white, eyelashes too fake—and I know Madison isn’t perfect. I like that in a friend, I decide. Samantha isn’t perfect
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