Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“Yes. Perfect timing. Let’s go,” Makayla says, snatching her hand and pulling her back inside without another glance my way.
Chapter 9
Makayla
“I just want him to notice me,” Hannah whines as we come in from the pool.
“How do you know he doesn’t? He’s very nice to you. Unlike Chase.”
Hannah sighs as she grabs her Magic 8 Ball off the kitchen counter. “Because he doesn’t. A girl would know. Did you see him out there? I thought I was going to pass out when he took his shirt off. He’s so dreeeaaamy.”
I giggle at her and her obsession with Levi, her brother’s best friend.
“Never say never. Maybe one day he’ll see how wonderful you are and you two will live happily ever after.”
“God, I wish. Magic 8 Ball, will I live happily ever after with Levi Dent?” She shakes the toy until the triangle floats to the top. “All signs point to yes.” A smile blasts across her face. “Let’s hope this is right. I’m over being in the pool. Wanna paint nails and watch TV? Let me grab the nail polish out of the bathroom—holy!”
Hannah gasps.
My eyes bug out.
“You gonna stare or shut the door? Kinda busy here,” Ben says, holding his thing while peeing. Neither of us move a muscle. Hannah opens her mouth to say sorry but slams the door shut instead.
“Um. . . you think—oh my god!”
“I can now say I’ve seen my first penis.”
Hannah covers her mouth. “I mean, I’ve seen Kip’s. Not by choice, ’cause he’s my brother, but that one. . . is a lot bigger.”
Ben opens the door, and we both fall silent, pretending we didn’t just see what we saw. Ben knows better than to mess with Hannah, but of course, I’m fair game. He stops to lean into me while walking past. “Game changer, huh, Duckling? If you wanted a peek, all you had to do was ask. Little perv.” Then he disappears down the hall to the backyard.
“I can’t believe you talked me into this.” Jenny whines.
“It’s a community event. You said you wanted to meet people. Now, you are.”
“At a town parade? What? Is a hot guy gonna fall off a float at my feet?”
I shrug, looking around. “Maybe. You know, I heard the mayor’s son is single. I’m sure he’ll be around. Get in with him. He can give you all the town secrets.”
Jenny tosses some popcorn into her mouth. “Not a shabby gig. What’s he look like?”
I purse my lips. “I hear he’s really nice.”
“Oh my god! Everyone knows what that means. He’s ugly!”
I chuckle. “It’s who they are on the inside that matters.”
She scoffs and turns toward the street as the parade begins. “He’s nice,” she mumbles under her breath. I cover my mouth, hiding my smirk.
The first float cruises by, and I catch a flying piece of candy. “Mmm, Smarties. My favorite.” I wiggle my candy at Jenny, twist the wrapper, and pop one into my mouth. Memories filter in from when I was young. Before Mom died, we would attend this parade as a family. She would wear her pretty floral dresses, and Dad would carry me on his shoulders so I could see all the floats. I swear I came home with the most candy out of everyone one year.
With the good, though, comes the bad. The last year we came, my father got so drunk, he couldn’t stand straight. He still insisted on putting me on his shoulders, and my mother fought him on it, pleading with him that it wasn’t safe. There was never any telling him no. He lifted me up and toppled sideways, throwing me away from him. The outcome would have been way worse if we hadn’t been packed like sardines along the curb. The bodies helped cushion my fall, and I made it out with only scraped knees and broken glasses. My mom started screaming, and my father slapped her, gaining the attention of everyone around us.
A man standing next to us intervened, and my mom took the opportunity to drag me away. I’m not sure what happened after that. What I do know is there was a lot of yelling that night. My mom cried. I hid under my covers and shivered with every crash from downstairs. When I woke up in the morning, the house looked like it had been hit by a tornado. The vases my mom filled with pretty flowers were broken, and shattered glass from photos littered the floor. My mom stayed home for almost a week claiming the flu, but I knew better. It took that long for her black eye to heal.
“Here’s your school’s float.”
Jenny pulls me from my memory. The school won a design contest and earned a spot in the parade. Two of my kindergarteners were representing the school, and I told them I wouldn’t miss this for the world.