Drive Me Crazy by Terra Elan McVoy Page B

I had a grandma, and the next day I didn’t. I can’t help wondering now if the same thing is going to happen with my mom. I’m not little anymore, and I don’t want to be in the dark in the same way again, even if I’m scared to know the truth. Or they’re scared to tell me.
    I’m trying to figure out a way to ask Grandpa Howe if there’s more I need to know about all this stuff with Mom when we hear the car door open behind us. We turn as Grandma Tess stands and stretches, taking in a deep breath.
    “That’s settled, then.” Her face is a little sorry, a little mad.
    “Well then, let’s go to Bakersfield.” Grandpa Howe winks at me. “I hear the digs there are fantastic.”
    I swallow my questions for another time and squeeze Grandpa Howe’s hand as we walk back to the car, preparing myself to have to sit next to Cassie and her rotten mood again. As I’m buckling up, I get a good look at her face. She’s definitely been crying. I’d feel bad for her a little, but really, she’s been asking for it. Grandma Tess starts up thecar without a glance in the rearview at Cassie, who bends to get a small journal and a glittery pen from her bag. She writes what I assume are hate messages about Grandma Tess at first, but then she passes the notebook to me:
    Nono took my phone for being on it too much. But Kendra Mack says Cory will text me any minute.

Chapter Sixteen

Cassie
    I thought my life was ruined when my best friend lost her diary, spilled my secret crush to the most popular girl at school, and revealed what she really thinks of me. I thought things were bad when, after I joined up with Kendra Mack, I got ignored one minute and tested the next by Izzy Gathing, and constantly teased by Gates Morrill and all his friends. I thought having to go on this awful trip with my grandmother and her new husband—plus my stupid stepcousin—instead of hanging out with my friends was the end of everything. I was wrong on all counts. Now my life is really, truly, absolutely, horribly ruined , and who do I have to blame? My favorite grandmother in theworld—someone who’s supposed to be excited for me in a moment like this but who has now single-handedly made this the absolute worst thing that has ever, and I mean ever, happened to me.
    I hand my notebook over to Lana, and she almost doesn’t take it, but when she does, her eyes go wide and I want to start crying again. The giant frowny face she draws on the paper doesn’t come close to capturing how miserable I feel, though I’m relieved she’s overlooking the awful things I said to her and isn’t writing I told you so . Ugh, it’s so terrible.
    That Cory wanted my number is such a huge deal. And now, if Nono doesn’t give me back my phone and I can’t answer when he texts, he’ll probably think I changed my mind and don’t like him back. I’ll have lost my chance.
    We could try to explain and get it back. Just for a sec, Lana writes.
    I take the pen from her. She won’t budge. I don’t think she’ll even let me use it to call my parents. She said I can use hers if I really need to.
    Lana’s face twists in sympathy, but also thinking. She doesn’t write anything for a minute. I stare out at the flat, nothing desert plain, not even able to listen to the saddest songs in my tune list. Instead I have to be assaulted by Nono’s awful soundtrack of nostalgia.
    I’ll think of something, Lana writes. I can only hope she’s right.
    Lana tries to get me excited about the new hotel—which admittedly is pretty cool with its neon-lined reception counter and turquoise-and-mirror mosaic walls. Since I can’t take any photos of it to send Kendra Mack or anyone else, though, I might as well not even be here. It’s even dumb to bring in all my stuff, since I’ve decided I’m not dressing up for anything else on this whole trip, just to show Nono how mad I am. She thinks I express myself with my style? Well, just wait. Maybe I’ll even wear the same jeans two