Love and Other Unknown Variables by Shannon Alexander

Author:Shannon Alexander [Alexander, Shannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: teen romance, social anxiety, disease, heath, math, family relationships, friendship, contemporary romance
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

4.3

“I’m going to tell Charlotte to clear out of her house tomorrow night,” I tell Greta and James Sunday morning at Krispy Kreme. We’ve got our laptops and papers spread all over the table, doing homework and practicing our presentation for Ms. Finch tomorrow. “I think we’ve done enough ass kissing for a while.”

James holds up a fist for me to pound. “What’s the plan?”

I pull a scrap of paper from my back pocket and hand it to Greta.

She glances over it and pierces me with a look. “Are you serious?”

“As cancer.” I scowl at the girl behind the counter who keeps gaping at my bruised face.

Greta folds and unfolds the paper. “Chuck, you know I’m not afraid of Whiting—”

“Even though you should be,” James interjects, pointing his pen at her like a light saber. Greta shoots him a dirty look before continuing.

“But there’s no cute explanation for this.” She rattles the paper on the last word.

I rub my sweaty palms down the thighs of my pants. “It’s just a stink bomb.”

“Just?”

I shrug. “It’s only chemistry, Gret.”

James peers over Greta’s shoulder. “No way, man. Finch could have us arrested.”

I nod. “Only if someone gets caught.” Somehow, I’m pretty sure this isn’t what Mrs. Dunwitty meant when she told me to man up, but it’s the best I can come up with on short notice. “Which is why I’ll do it alone.”

“Chuck,” Greta says, her voice mournful. “This is between the Finch sisters. You shouldn’t get involved. This isn’t your battle.”

I’m stretched out on my side of the booth, my feet up on the bench. I study my shoes, the way the laces are fraying and the fabric is worn soft after so many years. These shoes could outlast Charlotte. That’s the most depressing thought I’ve had all day, and I’ve had nothing but sad-ass thoughts.

“Maybe not,” I finally admit, because even I know this is insane. I knew getting involved with Charlotte would be a deviation to my arrow straight life, but this, this is like following a line in a completely different reality. “But people get caught in things they can’t escape. Things like cancer. Charlotte didn’t ask for that, just like I didn’t ask for this. This is supposed to be a war, right? I can’t cure Charlotte’s cancer.” These words sound so loud in my head. I’d have thought I’d shouted them if James and Greta weren’t still leaning across the table to hear me. “This is all I can do for her. If I’m a casualty of war, then so be it.”

“You sure you’re up for the sacrifice?” James asks.

I look from him to Greta, sitting side-by-side, unaware they’re so close their shoulders are touching, drawn together by the magnetic pull of emotions. I want that closeness, too.

“Well, good thing we staked out Finch’s house last night,” Greta says, ignoring my non-answer. She passes the paper to me over the table. “At least we know what we’re up against. I, for one, am not about to get busted for this prank no matter how irresistible Charlotte Finch is.

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