Stolen Car by Patrick Jones

Author:Patrick Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: 2008-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

JULY

8

SATURDAY, JULY 12

“Where have you been hiding?” Evan asks. It’s a question he, Ashley, and my mother have all been asking for the last two weeks. I’ve resurfaced to see Evan at the mall before I head downtown to the library to meet up with Ashley for book club.

“I’ve just been hanging out,” I say slowly. Where I’ve really been—with Reid, whenever he’s not too busy—is not something Evan wants to know. He wouldn’t like it, but mostly he wouldn’t understand it, in part because I can’t really explain it. It’s not about anything Reid says, does, or gives me. It’s more about how I feel when I’m with him.

“Hanging out like an apple waiting to be picked.” Evan sounds pretty self-righteous for a guy sweating under an ugly red Halo Burger hat. His awkwardness makes me sigh.

“Whatever,” I say. I knew meeting up with Evan was a mistake, but I’m trying to maintain our friendship, and I also want Mom to keep thinking that he’s my boyfriend. “How about you?” I ask in the most friendly manner I can summon.

“You’ve been at Reid’s, I know it,” he says with an icy tone.

“No,” I answer, which isn’t a total lie. Reid and I spend some time at his house, but mostly we’ve driving around, either in the Viper or in Mom’s “borrowed” Malibu. She’s yet to discover that we’re taking her wheels while she works.

“He’s no good. You know that, right?” Evan’s voice cracks.

“Just because he and Vic don’t like each other, that—”

“I don’t even like my brother, so this has nothing to do with him,” Evan cuts me off.

“Jealous,” I whisper under my breath.

“I don’t think so,” Evan says, trying to sound confident.

“Really?” I arch the eyebrow that—if everything goes as planned—I’ll be getting pierced to night by Becca, after which the four of us will stay the whole night at Reid’s. The party ban is lifted at his house, so everybody’s coming over. Everybody but Evan, Ashley, and Vic.

Evan scratches his whisker-free chin and says, “Maybe I am jealous. Paint me green like it’s St. Patrick’s Day and I’ll be your leprechaun of love.”

I try hard not to laugh, but I’m way too tired.

“You think I’m real funny,” Evan says. “At school, I’m funny enough to laugh with, but now you’re laughing at me. I’m the one who should be laughing at you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You should talk to Vic about Reid, he’s got lots of stories to tell. Most of them are about girls Reid fucked, then fucked over.”

“You’re just saying that,” I shoot back, angry at myself for reaching out to him. I want us to stay friends, but I guess if I can’t be his girlfriend, then I can only be his enemy.

“Ask Vic about how Reid gets his money,” Evan continues. “Or ask him yourself.”

“Maybe I could ask Vic why Reid doesn’t want him hanging out there anymore,” I snap back. “Maybe I could ask Vic why he’s such a loser. Just like his brother.

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