Trouble With Liberty by Kristen Butcher Page A

have the decency to look embarrassed. She just shot me a pitying glance and began rummaging through a drawer.
    â€œYou wish,” she muttered.
    â€œActually, I don’t,” I said.
    That caught her attention, and the smug look on her face slipped. But only for a second.
    â€œWhat do you want?” she demanded again.
    â€œI want to know why you broke up with Cody.”
    Liberty stopped rummaging and regarded me with amusement. Then she stuck her bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “Why? Did Cody get his little feelings hurt? Is he crying? Did he send you over here to beg me to take him back?”
    It was all I could do not to pounce on Liberty and scratch her eyes out. I still don’t know how I managed to keep my cool. But I did. “Answer my question,” I said.
    Liberty let out an enormous sigh. “I would have thought it was obvious. Cody is a little boy. And I’m looking for a man.”
    I felt my eyebrows jump, but the rest of me stayed perfectly still.
    â€œLike Jason Kaufmann?” I said snidely. “Is that your idea of a man —
this week
?”
    A smile played at the corners of Liberty’s mouth. “Maybe.” She shrugged. “As soon as I find out, I’ll let you know.” Then she turned back to her dresser.
    â€œOr are you looking for someone more like Mr. Henderson?”
    I don’t even remember thinking those words, never mind saying them out loud! But I must have, because Liberty grabbed the edge of the drawer so tightly her knuckles went white.
    â€œYou don’t know what you’re talking about,” she snapped, but she didn’t sound quite as confident as she had before.
    â€œWell, you see, that’s the thing,” I said in a buttery voice. “I
do
know.” I watched Liberty’s back stiffen. “Because Ryan told me. And
he
knows because he saw you. He was in the band room that morning — in one of the practice booths. He saw you unbutton your blouse, and he saw you throw yourself at Mr. Henderson. He also saw Mr. Henderson reject you.” That last part wasn’t completely true, but Liberty didn’t know that.
    She spun around. Judging from the horrified expression on her face, I’d guessed right.
    I didn’t even try to hide my pleasure. In fact, I couldn’t resist rubbing a little salt into the wound. “I guess Mr. Henderson isn’t interested in little girls.”
    I expected a smart comeback like,
It’s his loss!
But for once, Liberty was speechless. I knew I had the answers I’d come for.
    So I turned around — and walked right into Mrs. Hayes. I mumbled an apology, but she didn’t hear me. She didn’t see me either. It was like I wasn’t even there. Her eyes were totally glued on Liberty. And they were flashing fire. It’s a wonderthe whole room didn’t burst into flame.
    For once, I was glad I wasn’t Liberty.
    Cody picked me up about a mile from home.
    â€œSo, did you rearrange her face?” he asked as I slid onto the seat beside him.
    â€œWhose face?”
    â€œLiberty’s. You were just at her house, weren’t you?”
    â€œHow do you know?” I said, unable to keep the amazement out of my voice.
    He grinned. “Easy. I’m smart.”
    â€œSince when?”
    His grin got bigger. “Since I dumped Liberty.”
    I just about choked. “Excuse me. I hate to burst your bubble, but she’s the one who broke up with you — remember?”
    Cody shrugged. “She must’ve found out I was going to dump her and beat me to it so she wouldn’t look bad.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Right, Romeo. And why would
you
dump
her
?”
    He shrugged again. “I didn’t like the competition.”
    â€œYou mean Jason Kaufmann?”
    â€œI mean her dad.”
    â€œSay what?”
    â€œMr. Hayes. When Liberty and I were together, that’s all she talked about. It was like