Read Online Wash Me Away by Wendy Owens - Free Book Online Page A

hurt.
    “Oh, I almost forgot!” she exclaims, jumping up onto her knees. “I was asking about this weekend because I found you a date.”
    “What?” The word comes out as a squeak. A date? Julia isn’t aware of my life before the academy, but I have never been on a date. I’ve never kissed a boy. I’ve never held a boy’s hand. Boys were completely off limits in the Buckley household. As soon as my body started developing in the slightest, I began homeschooling. Daddy made it clear that any fraternizing with the opposite sex wouldn’t be tolerated.
    “Don’t worry, he’s cute,” she assures me, as if this is the only thing that could possibly give me hesitation.
    “I don’t know—” She looks at me, not shielding her disappointment. “Is he nice?”
    “Nice enough,” she says, shrugging her shoulders. “I’ll be there too. It’s a double date.”
    “What about Willow?” I suggest an alternative.
    “I asked you to come because I think it would be good for you; besides, Willow isn’t exactly Matthew’s type,” Julia answers.
    She thinks it would be good for me? She would rather I go than Willow. This is what friends do. My thoughts press me toward agreeing.
    “Come on,” she begs, slinking down onto the floor next to me. “I promise, it will be fun.”
    “When?” I moan.
    “Friday night . . .” she hesitates, eyeing me. “Does this mean you’ll go?”
    I nod reluctantly.
    “Ahh!” she screams. “We’re going to have so much fun.”
    I swallow hard. Be normal. What’s normal? I wish I knew. “My aunt told me to let you know you can stay the night this weekend—” I can’t figure out her expression. “I mean, only if you want to.”
    Her head tilts. “That would be fun. How about after our double?”
    “Could we keep the date part just between us?” I ask. “I’m not sure how my aunt and uncle will feel about boys yet.”
    Her lips pout. “I wouldn’t feel right keeping a secret like that.”
    “Oh,” I gasp. I wish I hadn’t asked. “I’m sorry.”
    She shoves me in the arm, throwing her head back against her mattress, laughing. “God, you really are gullible, aren’t you? Of course I won’t tell your family. Do you think I tell my parents anything about my life?”
    “You’re mean.”
    “I try,” she sighs. After a moment of silence, she adds, “I found out my mom used to be friends with your mom.”
    I open my mouth, but initially I don’t make a sound. I want to ask her a thousand questions, only I can’t seem to formulate one clear thought. It’s as if all the oxygen has been sucked out of the room.
    “They were friends when your mom went to school here,” she continues, thankfully without my asking. “I mentioned to her that we were hanging out, and she instantly knew who you were.”
    “Really?” My eyes widen, but I don’t shift my gaze, staring directly at her, hungry for any information.
    “Yeah, apparently my mom was with your mom in Florida when she met your dad,” Julia continues, but then I’m certain she has me mixed up with someone else.
    I shake my head. “My dad never lived in Florida.”
    “Yeah, I know, she said it was on spring break.”
    I can’t picture her story. It doesn’t make sense.
    “You seriously don’t know the story of how your parents got together?”
    I shake my head. “My mom died when I was little.”
    “Your dad didn’t tell you?”
    I think about the man who was my father. He rarely spoke to me, at least not with words of kindness. “He didn’t like to talk about her,” I answer with the half-truth.
    “Has your uncle said anything about it?”
    I squint at her in confusion. “Why would he know anything?”
    “Umm . . . only because he was your mom’s boyfriend before she met your dad.” She states it so plainly, like it’s a fact I should already know. But it’s not a fact. It’s not true. Uncle Gil couldn’t have dated my mother and then married her sister.
    “No, your mom must be thinking