[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

focus. I clear my throat and glance at the ugly diamond patterned wallpaper near my face.
 Hey, Christy, I was thinking that if you wanted, we could take my bike out tonight, and I
could give you some tips on riding. My friend's eyes go wide and she switches her gaze
over to me. I pretend to be interested in the wallpaper.  It's a nice night for it, so & 
 I'll think about it, Christy chirps, standing up so quickly that she stumbles and ends
up in Kimmi's arms, sort of like something you'd see in a romantic comedy. I pick at the
peeling wallpaper with my nails, and force back another wave of nausea. It would not do
to go vomiting during my friend's special moment. The two of them are caught, looking
into one another's eyes. First love is a beautiful, beautiful thing, isn't it? I wonder if
Christy knows she's got a crush yet.
 I'll ask again later, Kimmi says, letting go of Christy and taking a step back. She
glances sidelong down the hallway, and a crooked smile lights her pink tinged lips.
 Maybe after lunch? And then she winks at Christy and disappears. My friend brushes
her hands on her new jeans (possibly the first pair she's ever owned) and walks out of the
bathroom with her head held high, just in time for me to grab another private moment to
puke.
When I come out, most of the work is in full swing. There are a few Triple M'ers
smoking cigarettes and drinking beer in the backyard, but I know they'll get around to it.
Never in my life have a met such a hardworking group of people. I smile and resist the
urge to go fetch my book out of my saddlebags. The day before yesterday, Austin caught
me sneaking a chapter in the upstairs bathroom and made fun of me all day. One of these
days, I'm going to convince him to read a book. I've already manged to rope Mireya,
Kimmi, and even Melissa into trying one of my Sali Bend novels. It's just a matter of time.
I head up the stairs, running my hand along the freshly painted banister. It gleams a
pearly white in the early afternoon sun. I give it a friendly pat and pause on the landing,
trying to remember which of the rooms are already painted. I catch Christy in the third
room on my right, a roller in hand, and join her. Not to be rude or anything, but some of
these bikers have a sloppy hand when it comes to painting, so Christy and I have taken
over. And besides, we're a little less capable of picking up a set of cabinets and moving
them single-handedly. Some of the folks here have biceps the size of my thigh for
goodness sake.
I pick up a paint brush and dip it into the can, enjoying the smooth texture of the wet
paint. The color we've chosen for this room is a frosty green, like mint chocolate chip ice
cream. Supposedly, this is going to be Gaine and Mireya's room.
 Amy, is there anything you want to tell me? Christy asks which I know is code for
there's something I want to tell you, so please, give me something in return. It's much
easier to spill a secret when someone's already given you one. I smile at her and move
over to the window, carefully painting the spots around the white trim. My stomach is
still a tad uneasy, but I don't think too hard about it.
 Like what? I ask, struggling to keep my eyes on the paint job and off the deserted
neighborhood out the window. This window faces West, and I can only imagine that there
are going to be some spectacular sunsets to be seen from this vantage point. I pause,
spotting movement in the bushes a couple of houses down. Cat? I wonder. Or maybe
dog? I'd like to get a dog eventually. A small one. One that I can take on my bike with me.
I smile as I get a more modern version of Dorothy and Toto in my head. How silly is that?
 You know, just whatever, she says, trying desperately to sound nonchalant. I sweep
the brush down the wall and turn around, splattering a tiny bit of paint on the brown
paper covering the floor. Christy is blushing, redness spreading down her neck and across
her bare shoulders. I let my lips twitch into a smile as I re-dip my brush and turn back [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]