13

13 by Jason Robert Brown

Book: 13 by Jason Robert Brown Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jason Robert Brown
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admit that I was sort of relieved not to see Bill yet. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to having some major-league fantasies about me and Nina getting back together. Sure, I knew that she andBill had made out. But only because I wasn’t available, right? Here’s how I pictured it: With a single glance in my direction, Nina would crawl down the synagogue aisle, curl up in my lap, and whisper “I love you” in Hebrew. That’s what I was thinking about while Steve and Rudy started to describe their new English teacher to me. Apparently he had a black belt in karate and could speak Russian.
    â€œSeriously, dude,” Rudy was saying. “The guy actually kicked a dictionary clean in half. He’s awesome.”
    Pretty amazing, I supposed. But before I could respond, I heard it: A girl’s voice.
    Her voice.
    Saying my name!
    â€œHey, Evan!”
    There she was, decked out in a bright blue dress that hugged all the body parts that required hugging.
    â€œNina!” I gasped.
    My heart went from zero to ninety in a millisecond. But then it practically exploded out of my chest. Because I saw her lips forming into a big, fat pucker. Her head was moving forward—toward me! I nearly fell over. This was happening more quickly than I had even anticipated! Thank God I had brushed my teeth after breakfast. There was nothing to do but go for it. I licked my lips and spread my arms wide.
    But then…well, at the last second, each of us turned our head so instead of touching lips we touched cheeks. Chickened out, I guess. Aha, I thought. She doesn’t want everyone to see how badly she wants me. She’s saving the good stuff for later. All right, then, the day was young. All I had to do was bide my time.
    â€œCome on,” Steve said, tugging my arm. “Let’s find some seats.”
    â€œSee you inside,” Nina said with a smile.
    â€œYeah,” I said. “See you!”
    Who ever said New York wasn’t the greatest city on earth?
    Â 
    The Park Avenue Synagogue looked like a church in some Christmas special, except instead of stained-glass windows and pictures of Jesus there were stained-glass windows and gigantic Stars of David. It inspired awe, feeling like you were in the presence of the Lord and serious money. I was suddenly relieved that none of these people would be at my dinky little Methodist church basement ceremony a week later. Honestly, how would I explain my sorry new life if they came? How would people react?
    Now that the doors were open, the place was filling fast, and I caught a glimpse of Nina taking a seat with a group of girl friends on the other side of thesynagogue. I waved at her, but she didn’t see it. Seconds later, Bill squeezed in next to me.
    â€œDude!” Bill said. “How’s it hangin’?”
    Despite everything I was feeling about Nina, meeting up with him and Steve was like putting on an old pair of sneakers; they just fit somehow. We began some light banter—the typical “how’s school?” “how’ve you been?” sort of stuff. But all I wanted to do was cut to the chase: Was Bill going out with Nina? Before I could work up the nerve to ask, a cantor in a black robe led the congregation in a prayer. Then a second cantor sang a song, followed by a third who chanted a blessing. Then the rabbi himself got up. He was no geezer like Rabbi Weiner, but a young guy who looked like he should’ve been wearing a football helmet instead of a yarmulke.
    â€œToday,” he began, “we gather to celebrate the bar mitzvah of Aaron Guevara Siegel.”
    Things moved along pretty quickly after that. A few prayers later and Aaron got up to do his thing. You should’ve heard him: He whipped off his Torah reading like he was reciting box scores out of the sports section—the words just flowed. And his speech? It was a thing of beauty: It started with an allegory about some ancient

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