Detached by Christina Kilbourne Page B

England seem laid back.”
    We were walking down the hall toward my locker at the end of the day.
    â€œMaybe you could sleep at Anna’s overnight. Then your mom wouldn’t know.”
    â€œSo you’re asking me to lie to my mother?”
    â€œNot really. You’d still be sleeping at Anna’s.”
    â€œI dunno. When I sleep over at a friend’s place, she asks about everything we’ll be doing. And she can smell a lie ten miles away.”
    â€œJust try it. Say you’re working on some art assignment together.”
    â€œLet me think about it,” I said. Then I opened my locker and piled my books on the top shelf.
    That night I thought of nothing else but the party at the forks. I hated to admit it, but I really wanted to go and Kyle’s plan sounded like it might work. Finally I logged on to Facebook and saw Anna was online for a change.
    â€œThere’s a big party down at the forks this weekend,” I wrote.
    â€œReally? You going?”
    â€œMom wouldn’t let me go in a hundred years. What about your parents?”
    â€œNot likely since Joe’s adventure down there. But Mariam’s parents are going away this weekend. Maybe we could have a sleepover. Then nobody would know!”
    â€œGood plan. But I’d have to say I was staying at your place. Mom doesn’t know Mariam’s parents. She’d want to talk to them. It could get complicated.”
    â€œTell your mom you’re sleeping over here and I’ll tell my parents I’m sleeping at Mariam’s. Then we can all go to the party and crash at Mariam’s. It’s closest to the forks anyway.”
    â€œAwesome plan! Check with Mariam and let me know.”
    About ten minutes later, Anna’s chat box opened up again.
    â€œWooohooo! It’s all set. Mariam’s in,” she wrote.
    I could hardly wait to tell Kyle the good news in person. We were sitting in the cafeteria at lunch when I finally saw him. Anna, Mariam, Gisele, and I were talking about our sleepover when he walked up.
    â€œSo are you guys coming to the forks Saturday night?” he asked. He set down his lunch and pulled up a chair.
    Mariam and Gisele made a hooting sound that meant “yes.” Anna looked unsure and I was afraid to say too much in case my mother figured out what we were up to and wrecked my plans at the last minute.
    â€œSo that sleepover idea worked?”
    â€œYep. My parents actually thought it was a good idea for me to have some girlfriends over so I wouldn’t be alone,” Mariam said.
    Kyle told us he’d be at the forks by nine o’clock. He also couldn’t help but mention this would be the third party he’d been to there. I’m sure he was trying to be helpful but it was kind of annoying.
    â€œDon’t wear any girly shoes. Boots or running shoes work best down there once it gets dark. And no skirts. Definitely jeans and sweaters.”
    I rolled my eyes and Anna said, “It sounds like we’re going camping. Should I bring my Swiss Army knife?”
    Anna can be pretty sarcastic when she wants to be.
    Kyle smiled. “If you have one.”
    â€œWhat about beer?” Mariam asked. She’s always one to be practical. If we were going to a party we needed something to drink.
    â€œSam can hook us up. No worries. They’re going to have a bin with ice and a keg.”
    â€œHow’re they going to get a keg down to the forks?” I asked, skeptically.
    â€œThey have their ways.”
    To my surprise, it was easy letting Mom think I was sleeping over at Anna’s, probably because I did that fairly regularly. Anna’s parents barely blinked when we left together for Mariam’s sleepover and Mariam’s parents even left us a houseful of teenager-friendly food like pizza pockets and chocolate cake. It was almost dark when the four of us decided to leave Mariam’s house. We were at the door spraying