I So Don't Do Famous by Barrie Summy

Author:Barrie Summy [Summy, Barrie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-89947-8
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-05-10T04:00:00+00:00

chapter

twenty

“Sherry!” Leah squeals. “When did you get back? I’ve been waiting for you. Did you look for me? I was hanging out at 25 Degrees. I thought you’d check there since that’s where we first met.”

Underneath her excited high pitch, I sense Leah’s feelings are hurt that I’m not all best friends forever and wanting to hang with her every second.

And it suddenly hits me how überlonely she must be. What if our situations were reversed and I was a ghost while my mother was still alive? What if I’d been stuck in a hotel, no matter how fancy-pants, for a whole year after a nasty breakup, with no friends and no family to vent to?

“I have an idea,” I say. “Let’s try getting you outside.”

“Seriously?” Leah barely breathes out the question.

“I don’t know how my mother learned to cross thresholds. It was part of her classes at the Academy of Spirits.” I open my beach bag. “But I’m wondering what would happen if I just walked out with you.”

There’s a quick breeze, then my beach bag gives a shake.

I pull the drawstrings tight, and stand. I square my shoulders and march to the door that leads to the pool. Who knows what’s in store for us. But I’m hitting it straight on.

I step through. My bag shudders. And keeps on shuddering. I gather it against my chest. The shuddering slows, then stops. I untie the drawstrings. “Are you okay?” I ask softly.

“I feel kinda sick.” A root beer scent wafts by my head. “But look! We made it!” The scent swirls and whirls. “A tree! A flower! Dirt!”

I’m meandering around the deck, heading toward Junie. Every few steps, Leah squeals about something. “How did I live a whole year without all this? Sherry, you are so the best!”

Junie’s still texting. She’ll probably end up with thumb blisters. I drop into my chaise longue and stretch out. Reaching under the chair, I retrieve my drink and take a long sip.

“I feel brand-new,” Leah says.

“Cool beans,” I say.

“What?” Junie looks up from her phone screen. She finally notices there’s a whole world out here that doesn’t revolve around Nick and a little screen and even littler keys.

“Leah,” I say.

She nods and goes back to her phone.

“Got any fives?” the young girl near me asks her mom.

Apparently, this is the Go Fish game that never ends.

“She does,” Leah whispers, even though no one can hear her but me. “That kid’s totally owning her mom.” She pauses, and I’m sure she’s watching the card game intently. “Sherry, I rocked at Go Fish when I was a kid.”

“Me too.” I turn to Junie. “Not sure if you’ve thought of this, but you’re messing with your tan line by hunching over your phone so much. Your face is still as white as Wonder Bread, while your arms and legs are freckling up.”

“Whatever,” she says, head still bowed.

“I smuggled Leah out of the hotel. In my beach bag.”

Junie looks up. “Very smart!”

“Not all friends would think to help out in the tan-line area,” Leah says.

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