Read Online What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen - Free Book Online Page B

what Alex is talking about.
    “You know, Argentina during the late seventies, early eighties. When the government kidnapped its own citizens and they were never heard from again? We learned about it in Spanish class. They were called los Deseparecidos—the Disappeared.”
    The Disappeared. How ironic. My mother disappeared. Soon I’ll disappear. Only not like the Disappeared, I hope. I feel a little sick inside. Alex looks at me with his head tilted to one side. He’s waiting for my answer. “Sorry. Maybe we can try a different topic?”
    “Yeah, no problem. You wanna give me your phone number?”
    I must look surprised because Alex adds, “So we can work on the project.” But the way he almost laughs when he says the word “project” lets me know that’s not why he’s asking.
    I raise my eyebrows. “Right. For the project .” I tell him my number.
    “Want mine?” he asks with a wicked grin.
    “Sure.” I pull out my phone and start typing.
    Zach appears in the distance with a paper bag in his hand and the sun on his shoulders. I try to wave at him as if today is just another day at the Dairy Dream.
    “I can’t believe it—all this time you’ve been crying over Zach?” Alex sounds disappointed.
    “No, not exactly.” But you’ll be safer if you believe that than if you know the truth.
    “Hey, buddy,” Zach greets me. He’s adopted Matt’s pet name for me. “Got you some tacos.” He plops the bag down and slides onto the picnic table across from me, then nods politely at Alex. “Two soft, one hard, beef with cheese and tomatoes. None of that wilted bleach lettuce and no onions. And a root beer.” Zach knows about the root beer whoosh thing.
    “You’re adorable,” I say to Zach. I lean across the table, hug him, and give him a kiss on the cheek. I take him in, blond hair going every which way, the soft curve of his chin, the sparkling blue eyes, the smile that lets you know he cares. He’s the closest thing I have to a brother.
    I think Alex must have seen the look that passed between us, that look that says, “Everything is okay now that you’re here.” I can’t help it, because it’s true.
    “Hey, good game last week,” Zach says. “Good luck this Friday.”
    “Thanks, man. You gonna be there?” says Alex.
    “No, can’t make it this week. It’s my mom’s birthday and we’re going to some sort of play. She’s kind of like Sara, here. Not really a sports fan.”
    “Yeah, Sara mentioned that she isn’t exactly looking forward to having to play in the band at the game.”
    Zach snorts. “That’s a bit of an understatement. Did she mention what she does to pass the time between songs?”
    Alex shakes his head. “No, do tell.”
    “Zach—” I lean across the table and try to cover his mouth with my hand but he squirms away. “She reads Soap Opera Digest in the stands.”
    “Really now? No Stephen King?” Alex raises his eyebrows.
    “A book would be too thick to fit under my uniform.”
    “You know, I’m actually kind of surprised that she takes magazines to games. She’s so particular about keeping them in pristine condition. Once I spilled a tiny bit of pop on one of them and she didn’t talk to me for a month,” says Zach.
    “It was only a week,” I say. “And it was the Winds of Change tenth anniversary issue.”
    “Need I say more?” says Zach. “Except to mention that she has every magazine from the past twenty years in her room. It’s a miracle she even has room to sleep.”
    “It’s the past five years. And they have a very discreet presence in my room. Plus, they’re neatly organized.” That part is true. Because if they weren’t, Dad would have tossed them all in an instant. Too bad I can’t take them with me. At least Mom and I will still be able to watch The Winds of Change together.
    “Well, this has all been very enlightening,” Alex says, laughing, “but I guess I’ll be heading back to class. Algebra test, you know, Sara.”
    I give