In Between by Jenny B. Jones

Author:Jenny B. Jones [Jones, Jenny B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: drama, foster care, friendship, YA, Christian fiction, Texas, theater
Publisher: Sweet Pea Productions
Published: 2014-03-25T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

As per instructions, I took the school bus to the theatre after school.

The public school bus.

It’s something everyone should experience at least once. Today on my ride, a first-grader shared my seat. She proudly showed me her artwork, a blob of red paint she said was a pony, and then talked herself into a sleepy coma. Her head bobbed until it landed on my shoulder and her paste-crusted hands rested on my jeans. The kid in seat number twenty picked his nose when he thought no one was looking. Spit wads sailed overhead. The gnome sitting behind me kicked my seat to the beat of the bus driver’s George Strait music the entire ride. If that brat does it again tomorrow, I’m going to have to show him who’s boss—and it ain’t him. Across the aisle, a group of middle schoolers gathered, trying to burp out “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.”

Standing in the foyer of the Valiant, I shudder at the memory.

From here I can see Millie sitting in her car in the parking lot. She appears to be in a serious conversation on her cell phone, and she doesn’t look happy. After a few more minutes she ends the call, runs a hand through her hair, brushes on some lip gloss, and makes her way to the theatre. She looks stressed, but I decide not to mention it as she breezes into the foyer where I’m waiting.

“Hey, Millie.” I proceed with care. Not only is Millie worked up over something, but I’m anxious too. My first day on the job at the Valiant. Who knows what awaits me inside. Like a scaredy-cat, I’ve been standing in the entryway, putting off going into the theatre for as long as possible. It’s not easy to return to the scene of the crime. And now I have to look at it with Millie, see it through her eyes.

“Hey, kiddo, how was your day?” Millie puts a smile on her face, and gives me a quick hug. She knows the hugging thing still doesn’t have the total Katie Parker seal of approval. But if anybody can get away with it, it’s my foster mom.

“Oh, you know, the usual.” Ugh. I eye the giant double doors leading into the theatre lobby. Don’t feel so good.

“No, seriously, how did it go?” Millie stops and gives me her full attention.

I sigh and make a figure eight on the floor with the toe of a new, but vintage-looking Nike. “Well, I went to English, faced off with Angel.”

Millie’s eyebrows rise.

“But no blood was shed. No WMDs were fired.” I wave it off. “It was a fairly peaceful meeting.”

“Okay.” Millie nods. “Go on.”

It’s kind of odd to have an adult listen to you. I mean really listen.

“So then I went to history.”

“And Mr. Patton fell asleep,” Millie finishes.

“Right. Oh, and on the second time he nodded off, this guy Steven went up to him and tapped him on the shoulder to wake him up. That didn’t work, so Steven dropped a history book on the floor right next to him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.