TV stars. I liked normal people. Every day people. People who hadn’t yet seen themselves at their absolute best. I imagined myself working with brides, making them look perfect for their big day. So maybe a salon?
I couldn’t go back to Jude with my research until I’d made a definite decision, so I figured my day’s work would be to think about my options.
My cell phone vibrated on the desk in front of me. Jesse. I picked it up with a smile, wondering what he needed me to bring him. His calls for emergency sports magazines, and occasionally chocolate, were familiar by now.
“Hey, Jesse. What’s up?”
“Bree, are you busy?”
His voice didn’t sound right. Not light and happy with a hint of frustration at dealing with his mother. He sounded worried, and my stomach clenched.
“Not with anything I can’t put off. What do you need?”
“You. I need… you. Something’s wrong with Kayla.”
Crap! She went to that party on Saturday night. Dammit, I should have… But… the party was two days ago.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She told Mom she wasn’t feeling good so she hasn’t gone to school today, but she doesn’t look sick, she looks scared. I asked her what’s wrong and she started crying and ran to her room. Mom’s at work today and Kayla won’t talk to me. I know how much she likes you. I hoped-”
“I’ll be right there.”
I ended the call, stuffed my phone in my pocket, and slipped into my shoes. Whatever was bothering Kayla didn’t sound like something I could ignore. I pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail, set the alarm then set off for Jesse’s.
“Wow, you got here fast,” Jesse said as he opened the door. He appeared to be getting faster on his crutches already, though he must have been tired of wearing baggy shorts every day because he couldn’t fit anything else over his cast. Lucky for him, the look suited him. Actually, I’d never seen him in a bad outfit. If he wasn’t a soccer player he’d have made an excellent male model. Those green eyes…
Quit it, Bree. Kayla needs you. Stop lusting after her brother and go to her!
I shrugged. “Girl code. When one of us is in trouble we drop everything. Is she still in her room?”
“Yeah. I tried to talk to her a few minutes ago and she told me to go away. But… not that politely.”
“Okay. Want me to try now, or give her a little more time?”
“Go now. Not knowing is driving me crazy.”
“Okay.” I started to walk towards the stairs then stopped and turned back to Jesse. “She might ask me not to tell you whatever it is. Unless it’s something that puts her in danger, you understand I have to do as she asks?”
Jesse nodded. “As long as she lets someone be there for her, I’m cool.”
I gave him a small smile, glad he chose me. “I’ll do what I can.”
When I reached Kayla’s door, I knocked gently. “Kayla? It’s Bree. Can I come in?”
Silence. I pressed my ear against the door and heard a shuffling sound, like she was unwrapping herself from her comforter.
“Kayla?”
“Come in.”
Kayla sat on her bed, legs crossed, face tear-streaked. Her hair was scraped back the same way as mine, in a messy up-do, and she forced a smile even though her eyes were glistening.
“What’s wrong, honey?” I asked, sitting down beside her.
“Nothing.”
“Look at me.” I gently rested a finger under her chin and turned her face to mine. “You wanna talk about it?”
She shook her head, tears spilling over. My heart hurt to see so much unhappiness on her face. She was usually vibrant, confident. She sat with her back perfectly straight as if trying to show she didn’t care about whatever had happened, but there was no ignoring the river of tears.
“Come on, Kayla, talk to me. Is this about the party? Did someone hurt you?”
“No, it’s not that. I… I can’t go to school ever again.”
“Why not?”
“Because everyone will laugh at
I couldn’t go back to Jude with my research until I’d made a definite decision, so I figured my day’s work would be to think about my options.
My cell phone vibrated on the desk in front of me. Jesse. I picked it up with a smile, wondering what he needed me to bring him. His calls for emergency sports magazines, and occasionally chocolate, were familiar by now.
“Hey, Jesse. What’s up?”
“Bree, are you busy?”
His voice didn’t sound right. Not light and happy with a hint of frustration at dealing with his mother. He sounded worried, and my stomach clenched.
“Not with anything I can’t put off. What do you need?”
“You. I need… you. Something’s wrong with Kayla.”
Crap! She went to that party on Saturday night. Dammit, I should have… But… the party was two days ago.
“What do you mean?” I asked. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She told Mom she wasn’t feeling good so she hasn’t gone to school today, but she doesn’t look sick, she looks scared. I asked her what’s wrong and she started crying and ran to her room. Mom’s at work today and Kayla won’t talk to me. I know how much she likes you. I hoped-”
“I’ll be right there.”
I ended the call, stuffed my phone in my pocket, and slipped into my shoes. Whatever was bothering Kayla didn’t sound like something I could ignore. I pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail, set the alarm then set off for Jesse’s.
“Wow, you got here fast,” Jesse said as he opened the door. He appeared to be getting faster on his crutches already, though he must have been tired of wearing baggy shorts every day because he couldn’t fit anything else over his cast. Lucky for him, the look suited him. Actually, I’d never seen him in a bad outfit. If he wasn’t a soccer player he’d have made an excellent male model. Those green eyes…
Quit it, Bree. Kayla needs you. Stop lusting after her brother and go to her!
I shrugged. “Girl code. When one of us is in trouble we drop everything. Is she still in her room?”
“Yeah. I tried to talk to her a few minutes ago and she told me to go away. But… not that politely.”
“Okay. Want me to try now, or give her a little more time?”
“Go now. Not knowing is driving me crazy.”
“Okay.” I started to walk towards the stairs then stopped and turned back to Jesse. “She might ask me not to tell you whatever it is. Unless it’s something that puts her in danger, you understand I have to do as she asks?”
Jesse nodded. “As long as she lets someone be there for her, I’m cool.”
I gave him a small smile, glad he chose me. “I’ll do what I can.”
When I reached Kayla’s door, I knocked gently. “Kayla? It’s Bree. Can I come in?”
Silence. I pressed my ear against the door and heard a shuffling sound, like she was unwrapping herself from her comforter.
“Kayla?”
“Come in.”
Kayla sat on her bed, legs crossed, face tear-streaked. Her hair was scraped back the same way as mine, in a messy up-do, and she forced a smile even though her eyes were glistening.
“What’s wrong, honey?” I asked, sitting down beside her.
“Nothing.”
“Look at me.” I gently rested a finger under her chin and turned her face to mine. “You wanna talk about it?”
She shook her head, tears spilling over. My heart hurt to see so much unhappiness on her face. She was usually vibrant, confident. She sat with her back perfectly straight as if trying to show she didn’t care about whatever had happened, but there was no ignoring the river of tears.
“Come on, Kayla, talk to me. Is this about the party? Did someone hurt you?”
“No, it’s not that. I… I can’t go to school ever again.”
“Why not?”
“Because everyone will laugh at
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