Corliss by V.C. Andrews

Author:V.C. Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Star

4

What I wondered most about myself afterward was whether my mother especially could take one look at me and know. Could my father? How changed was I, really?

I thought Jackson was as stunned by how far we had gone as I was. Afterward, when he walked me home, we were both equally silent, equally thoughtful. Once we left his neighborhood, he held my hand the remainder of the way. He seemed quite nervous again as we approached my house. I didn’t want to hear any note of regret or smell even a whiff of an apology.

When we reached my front door, I could see the hesitation in his face. I understood; he didn’t want to confront my father just yet.

“Thank you for dinner.”

“Yeah, it was great. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

He kissed me quickly and started away like a thief in the night.

“Jackson,” I called.

“Yes?”

“Keep dreaming.”

He laughed, nodded, and walked off.

My parents were still watching television. I told them how good the restaurant was and suggested they try it. I studied their faces. Even my father looked a little amused. Both were happy that I was pleased. It occurred to me that they were probably still concerned about how the drug would affect me. The fact that they had suffered and were still suffering from so much anxiety revived my anger. How pleased Lily and Marsha must be with themselves, I thought. They had bested the school genius; they had shown her who was superior. What angered me the most was that I wasn’t going to sleep submerged in the pleasure of warm and exciting lovemaking. I was going to toss and turn with rage again.

The following day, I concentrated on a research paper on the human genome for my biology class, a subject far beyond the normal curriculum. I didn’t realize until nearly two hours after lunch that Jackson had not called. When he did, he sounded frightened and troubled. He was on his mobile and asked me to meet him at a Starbucks in a strip mall three blocks west of my house.

“Why?” Why wouldn’t he just come over?

“I’ll tell you when I see you,” he said.

Irritated, I hurried out without telling my parents I was leaving and walked to the Starbucks. He was already there, sitting at a table near the front window. I had a feeling he had called me from there. He was hovering over his coffee and didn’t look up until I said his name.

“Hey. Thanks for coming. You want something? Coffee, tea . . .”

“No. Why did I have to come here? What is it, Jackson?”

He waited for me to sit. “I didn’t tell my parents I was taking you out last night,” he began.

“So?”

“One of our neighbors, Mrs. Goshen, who’s in my mother’s book club, saw you and me go into the house.”

“So?”

“There was a whole to-do about it. My mother called my uncle, who came over, and they all gave me lectures and warnings.”

“Warnings? About what?”

“They don’t completely understand what happened to you.

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