Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117363 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Cat gave a knowing nod. “Make sure all the screws are tightened before getting on the ride, right? Safety first.”
“Jesus, Cat,” Jeremy said, and was saved by the sound of a door opening down the hall.
Cat turned back to her work with frenzied enthusiasm. Jeremy had half-expected Jean to ignore them as long as he possibly could, but the former Raven looked to Jeremy as he took up post in the doorway. Jeremy looked at Cat and pretended they’d been in the middle of a very different conversation: “So you said yeah? You’re still good to go with me tomorrow?”
“Sure, sure,” Cat agreed. “Maybe we’ll all go, and Laila can take Jean next door. Fox Hills, right?” She waited for him to nod before looking at Jean. “Jeremy’s getting his hair prettied up for his last year. You know, we could probably call and see if they can squeeze you in, if you want? You’re noticeably uneven. You cut it yourself, or…?”
Jean scowled. “No one asked you.”
“On that note, I’m going to finish giving Jean the tour,” Jeremy said, emptying his dustpan into the trash. “Yell if you break anything else.”
Jean stepped back out of the doorway at Jeremy’s approach. Jeremy slipped past and took Jean back down the hall, showing him the places they’d missed upon arrival: the three-quarter bathroom, the door that hid the stacked washer and dryer, and the closet stuffed to bursting with cleaners and toilet paper. The last stop was the living room that served as Jeremy’s home away from home. It was one of his favorite places in the world, almost too crowded to be comfortable.
“Pretty cool, right?” he asked as he led Jean further into the room. He surveyed it all as if seeing it for the first time. Laila had brought home her papasan chair from an estate sale, and Cat had reupholstered the couch to match it. Quilts Cat’s grandmother had made sat in layers across the back of it, adding pops of color. Three different end tables were set around the room with mismatching lamps, including one that looked like a pile of mushrooms. Jillian had mounted a kid’s basketball hoop to the wall over the trash can, though the crumpled napkins and papers sitting around the bin said they all needed a little work on their aim.
A tabletop air hockey board was hanging from a hook between some potted plants. White Christmas lights hung back and forth in wide loops on the far wall, whereas pink hanging lights rested against the blackout curtains over the bay window. On the side of the room closest to them were two free-standing off-brand arcade machines they’d bought on sale two years back: one a retro space shooting game and the other a basic puzzle game that tended to glitch out after the eighth level. Between them hung an evil eye Laila bought when visiting her family in Beirut.
Near the far wall was a set of matching bikes, their chains and helmets hanging off the handles. Propped up against Laila’s back tire was a standee of a golden retriever that had been relegated to the kitchen for the last few weeks. Jeremy went over to it immediately.
“This is Barkbark von Barkenstein. You can call him Barkbark or Mister B for short. It’s a bit of a mouthful on its own.”
Jean looked from him to the cardboard dog and back again. “What?”
“I really want a dog, but my mother’s allergic. Cat and Laila were willing to hide one here for me, but the lease says no pets allowed and her uncle won’t budge on it. This is the best we can do for now,” Jeremy said, moving Barkbark closer to the papasan chair. “Cat’s brother works at a pet store, and he let us have the display when they took it down. Who’s a good boy?” he asked, giving the dog’s head a quick pat that nearly knocked the standee over. “And that’s pretty much the tour. Questions?”
Jean was still side-eyeing the cutout dog. “What purpose does it serve?”
“It makes us happy,” Jeremy said. He got the sense Jean was waiting for something a little more substantial, but it was all he had to offer. “Isn’t that enough?”
The curl of Jean’s lip was answer enough. “You don’t have a bed.”
“Nope,” Jeremy said. “During the school year I’m only here on the weekends, so I usually just crash out here.” He gave the side of the couch a light kick. “Technically there’s a stowaway bed in here, but since I’d have to rearrange everything to use it, I tend to just sprawl out on top.”
“What about in June?” Jean asked.
Jeremy shrugged. “Before I’d just move into Jillian’s room after she went home for the summer. Now that you’ve moved in, I’m good to stay out here. I don’t mind, really. It’s a surprisingly comfy couch.” Jean didn’t seem impressed with that explanation, but he kept his opinion to himself. Jeremy looked around to make sure he’d covered everything, then asked, “Ready to see the stadium?”