Read Online With Wings I Soar by Norah Simone - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Norah Simone
Ads: Link
cry. The friendships in this story are so complex and multi-dimensional that they seem almost crazy, yet many friendships in real life exhibit similar characteristics.”
“Well, I haven't really, you know, had a hard friendship, I guess. I just felt like the story made sense. It seemed encouraging because the writer wasn't really sad about the broken friendship. He was just matter of face about the whole thing...like it was normal.”
Mrs. Bailey nodded and smiled. “Exactly right.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh, dear, I didn't mean to keep you so long. I suppose you'd better get to lunch.”
Tabitha nodded and hurried away, both glad for the encouragement and disappointed in herself for making such silly mistakes in her paper.
“Next time, I'll remember to proof-read everything ,” she promised herself.
Chapter 15
When school ended, Tabitha took her time leaving her locker. She put on lip balm and slid on her gloves, trying to stay warm indoors as long as possible. She wished for the millionth time that she was old enough to drive and didn't have to walk back to Katie's house in the chilling wind. When Tabitha finally got outside, Katie was shivering on the front steps of the school. A notebook sat sprawled across her lap. Katie was writing in it with a brightly colored gel pen.
“Journaling?” Tabitha asked as she sat down next to Katie.
Katie abruptly slammed the notebook closed and stood. “No, just some extra homework for one of my classes. I can always use extra credit.”
“What are you talking about, Katie? You have the second highest GPA in the school!”
“Yeah, second highest. Not the highest.”
Tabitha gawked at her friend for a moment. “Isn't the highest GPA your brother's?”
Katie nodded curtly, looking serious for a moment before both girls erupted in laughter. She stood and began walking. Tabitha matched her stride, content for a moment to be walking with her friend. She knew things were going to be different this year for all of them. Maybe trying to beat her brother academically was a power play for Katie. Maybe it gave her something worth striving for. Maybe it made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
Maybe it gave her some sense of control.
“Well, I guess my chances of beating my own brother's GPA are a little slim, but it never hurts to try. Once he graduates next year, I'll definitely be the smartest kid in school.”
Tabitha smiled and nodded, but then reminded her friend, “You know, it's okay to not be the smartest kid. I'm not saying that because I'm not, or anything, you know...I just want to make sure you aren't studying too hard for the wrong reasons.”
Katie stopped walking and swirled around to face Tabitha. “And what are the 'right' reasons, Tab? Wanting to go to college? Trying to get a scholarship? Impressing a boy I barely know? Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do. You have no right to judge mine.”
Tabitha tried not to recoil at her friend’s harsh words, but she knew Katie was right. Tabitha wasn’t exactly someone who should be dishing out life advice at the moment.
“You're right. I'm sorry, Katie. It's not my place. I'm just worried that you're overdoing it.” She took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension that was sifting between them.
“You and everyone else. My mom actually told me to go to a movie yesterday, like that would help keep my mind off my dead dad.” Katie let out a sigh and rubbed her fingers across her notebook. “I just wish everything would be normal again. I want my dad home, and if I couldn't have him at home, I'd want his letters and pictures and emails and phone calls.”
Tabitha knew it wasn't the right moment, but the words slipped out before she could catch herself: “I talked to my dad.”
“What?” Katie looked shocked. “When? What happened? How? And how did you not call me immediately?”
“It was really late,” Tabitha explained. “Last
“Well, I haven't really, you know, had a hard friendship, I guess. I just felt like the story made sense. It seemed encouraging because the writer wasn't really sad about the broken friendship. He was just matter of face about the whole thing...like it was normal.”
Mrs. Bailey nodded and smiled. “Exactly right.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh, dear, I didn't mean to keep you so long. I suppose you'd better get to lunch.”
Tabitha nodded and hurried away, both glad for the encouragement and disappointed in herself for making such silly mistakes in her paper.
“Next time, I'll remember to proof-read everything ,” she promised herself.
Chapter 15
When school ended, Tabitha took her time leaving her locker. She put on lip balm and slid on her gloves, trying to stay warm indoors as long as possible. She wished for the millionth time that she was old enough to drive and didn't have to walk back to Katie's house in the chilling wind. When Tabitha finally got outside, Katie was shivering on the front steps of the school. A notebook sat sprawled across her lap. Katie was writing in it with a brightly colored gel pen.
“Journaling?” Tabitha asked as she sat down next to Katie.
Katie abruptly slammed the notebook closed and stood. “No, just some extra homework for one of my classes. I can always use extra credit.”
“What are you talking about, Katie? You have the second highest GPA in the school!”
“Yeah, second highest. Not the highest.”
Tabitha gawked at her friend for a moment. “Isn't the highest GPA your brother's?”
Katie nodded curtly, looking serious for a moment before both girls erupted in laughter. She stood and began walking. Tabitha matched her stride, content for a moment to be walking with her friend. She knew things were going to be different this year for all of them. Maybe trying to beat her brother academically was a power play for Katie. Maybe it gave her something worth striving for. Maybe it made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
Maybe it gave her some sense of control.
“Well, I guess my chances of beating my own brother's GPA are a little slim, but it never hurts to try. Once he graduates next year, I'll definitely be the smartest kid in school.”
Tabitha smiled and nodded, but then reminded her friend, “You know, it's okay to not be the smartest kid. I'm not saying that because I'm not, or anything, you know...I just want to make sure you aren't studying too hard for the wrong reasons.”
Katie stopped walking and swirled around to face Tabitha. “And what are the 'right' reasons, Tab? Wanting to go to college? Trying to get a scholarship? Impressing a boy I barely know? Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do. You have no right to judge mine.”
Tabitha tried not to recoil at her friend’s harsh words, but she knew Katie was right. Tabitha wasn’t exactly someone who should be dishing out life advice at the moment.
“You're right. I'm sorry, Katie. It's not my place. I'm just worried that you're overdoing it.” She took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension that was sifting between them.
“You and everyone else. My mom actually told me to go to a movie yesterday, like that would help keep my mind off my dead dad.” Katie let out a sigh and rubbed her fingers across her notebook. “I just wish everything would be normal again. I want my dad home, and if I couldn't have him at home, I'd want his letters and pictures and emails and phone calls.”
Tabitha knew it wasn't the right moment, but the words slipped out before she could catch herself: “I talked to my dad.”
“What?” Katie looked shocked. “When? What happened? How? And how did you not call me immediately?”
“It was really late,” Tabitha explained. “Last
Similar Books
