13 and 34 by Lisa Greenwald

Author:Lisa Greenwald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2020-05-22T00:00:00+00:00

19

KAYLAN

“I LOVE THE DETERMINATION,” INDIGO says as we walk over to the lake area for hammock time. Otis and I are doing our eyedropper tie-dye today and I’m so excited. I just want to start already.

“The list brings it out of me. You’ll see it does the same for you.”

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Yes. One hundred percent.”

As we walk I keep my mind on the tie-dye and on Indi’s list, but there are teeny-tiny agita bubbles in my stomach that I can’t seem to pop. Visiting day is tomorrow, and my dad and his person are coming and I just can’t picture that in my head. At all.

My dad. His person. My mom. Ryan.

It’s not how I ever imagined it would be. It’s not how I wanted it to be.

“Hey, Kaylan,” Chad yells from down the path, a guitar strapped to his back.

“Hey,” I grumble.

This kid will not leave me alone. We don’t even have that much time left here and he is still annoying.

“Still trying to be funny?” he yells.

I cannot take this anymore.

“What is his deal? For real?” I say under my breath, not really asking Indigo.

She shakes her head. “No idea.”

“Chad! Come over here!” I yell back.

This is happening. I am shutting this down. Enough is enough.

He does this sheepish little smile and traipses over to us like he’s all sophisticated and cool and everyone thinks he’s awesome. None of that is true.

When he’s finally in front of us, I put my hands on my hips and glare at him.

“Chad, you have been doing this girls aren’t funny thing all summer. You know that, right?”

He laughs and nods.

“It’s not cool. Do you know that?”

“Um.”

“First of all, it’s not true. Second of all, it’s sexist. Third of all, it’s borderline harassment at this point.”

He’s silent. So is Indigo. Although I can feel her cheering me on in her head. She stands up straighter and I feel her solidarity.

“You need to stop. There will be people out there in life who will not be as patient as I am. I could have reported you to Rob or Paul or anyone. I could have gotten you kicked out.”

“Um, let’s not go—”

I interrupt him. “No, I will go where I want to go because society has changed. You need to change with it. Women aren’t putting up with this nonsense anymore. I was kind to you because I felt bad for you. But enough is enough.”

He adjusts his guitar strap; he doesn’t meet my gaze.

“You hear me?”

He nods again, still looking down at the pavement.

“I asked if you hear me, Chad.”

“Yes. I hear you. I’m sorry,” he mumbles.

I grab Indigo’s hand and we keep walking to the lake.

“Wow, Kaylan,” she says after a few quiet moments. “That was something.”

“It was. I had to do it. I know he’s weak and insecure and he doesn’t know what to do, but that’s not an excuse.”

“No, it’s not. You’re right.”

We’re almost at the hammocks when Indi says, “So was that your something daring? I thought the infirmary was.

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