So Hard to Say by Alex Sanchez

Author:Alex Sanchez
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2004-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Frederick

I’d promised myself that when I boarded the plane for Wisconsin, I’d leave behind all my confusion about my closet kiss with Xio—and what (or who) I’d been thinking about while kissing her.

San Cayetano’s red hills and canyons became smaller and smaller beneath the plane window, and after four long hours our flight began its descent toward the snow-covered landscape surrounding Minneapolis.

Stepping out of the airport terminal I put on my winter coat. For the first time since we’d moved to California I was freezing.

During the drive in our rental car to Eau Claire, Mom cell-phoned Grandma Kate (my dad’s mom) and said we were on our way. After she hung up I called Janice.

“Hi!” I shouted when she answered. “Guess where I am?”

Janice screamed with excitement, “William’s here too!” He picked up the other extension. “Hey, California dude.”

As the three of us talked I shifted in the velour seat, hardly able to sit still. The hour and a half drive seemed to take forever.

My Grandma Kate lives only a few blocks from the house where we used to live. (My Grandpa Carl died five years ago.) It was great to see her again, especially since we hadn’t come home for Thanksgiving.

She fixed us cheddar, tomato, and mayo sandwiches. I gobbled down a couple and told her about our new house and my new school. Then I helped Dad unload the car and told Mom I was going to see Janice and William.

“But, honey, you just got here.”

“I know, but I haven’t seen them in months.” I tore out toward Janice’s, taking the route by my old house—just for old times’ sake. Maybe I’d even say hi to the new people living there.

But as I hurried down the snow-packed street and our old place came into view, my pace slowed. I stared openmouthed in disbelief, my breath steaming in the cold.

Our once beautiful ecru-colored house with walnut trim was now painted vomit green and puky yellow. On the lawn, tacky garden gnomes poked out of the snow. A tattered _ EASON’S G_EETINGS banner hung from the awning.

Could this possibly be the same house I’d grown up in? What the heck had the new people done? Were they on drugs? I wanted to bang on the door and tell them “Get out!”

Instead I shoved my gloved fists into my jacket pockets and continued trudging toward Janice’s.

When she answered the door the first thing I noticed was her form-fitting pink sweater, beneath which bulged her, um … breasts.

Where had they come from? I mean, I knew where they’d come from. But they weren’t there when I’d left Wisconsin four months ago—at least not like they were now, squishing against my chest as she wrapped her arms around me.

Behind her stood William, even taller than when I’d last seen him. Was I the only one still the same?

“You’re so tanned!” Janice exclaimed, unsquishing me.

That was definitely true. In comparison everyone here looked so white.

“Hey, dude.” William waved and smiled. I expected him

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