why?
KnuckLise99 : we got to talking about the Inner Beauty track u sent. they remixed it and i told him i liked the original better. i dunno. i must have impressed him.
DecOlan : atta girl!
KnuckLise99 : so u see it’s all thanks to you. so you are so coming with me.
DecOlan : <> you know i can’t.
KnuckLise99 : what are you, under house arrest?
KnuckLise99 : forever?
DecOlan : not forever. don’t be mad.
KnuckLise99 : <> then tell me why. u never did. you owe me.
This time, at least, I am ready. I’d been racking my brain since the start what might have gotten Declan in trouble, bad enough to be grounded, sympathetic enough not to freak her out. Then I realized, the answer was staring me in the face. Right from my own life history. It was hands down the worst thing I had ever done. I still had mounds of guilt over it, even though I was only nine when it happened and my mom has sworn she has forgiven me by now.
DecOlan : got in a dumb fight w/my mom. shoved her. she fell. hurt her wrist. broke it. cast for six weeks.
KnuckLise99 : OMG. that’s awful.
DecOlan : i swear, it was a total accident. i feel sick over it. my punishment was loss of phone and to stay around the house until she gets the cast off.
I hold my breath, waiting for her to reply. Will she believe it? How will she react? Have I bought myself some more time? How much? I wait, hoping to see the signs that she is writing a reply. Nothing.
DecOlan : do u hate me?
KnuckLise99 : no, it just reminds me. when i was eleven, i threw some stupid CD at my sister. scratched her cornea.
DecOlan : ouch.
KnuckLise99 : she was fine. milked it for sympathy. made me feel wretched.
DecOlan : did she forgive you?
KnuckLise99 : eventually.
DecOlan : so you don’t get along?
KnuckLise99 : we’ve just always been total opposites.
DecOlan : how so?
KnuckLise99 : you know how i said high school isn’t really all pep rallies and prom committee? for my sister, it was.
DecOlan : gotcha.
KnuckLise99 : plus nothing ever bothers her. not even my dad—
She stops writing. The screen reads KnuckLise99 is replying. But the words take a long time to come.
KnuckLise99 : he left us for someone half his age. elena forgave him.
DecOlan : but you didn’t?
Again she doesn’t write back immediately, and I wonder if I have asked too much. When she does reply, she changes the subject.
KnuckLise99 : look don’t worry about the concert. i’ll take Maeve. we’ll hang once your mom is better. ok?
DecOlan : i’ll make it up to you.
KnuckLise99 : yeah right. what could possibly compare to a Knuckles concert?
DecOlan : our first date.
And then I describe it for her, a hazy Hallmark card come to life: a sunset picnic down at the beach, with chocolate-covered strawberries and lobster rolls; the crash of the waves and the smell of the salt air; the wind in our hair and the sand between our toes. Lying back, pressing flat onto the woolen blanket, holding hands as the wily seagulls circle slowly. Dashing into the waiting ocean, letting them steal our unattended crumbs. The date is easy enough to describe. I’ve only pictured myself and Cooper on it about a million times before.
Chapter 17
ANNALISE
“I hope you’re all ready,” Ms. Pinella says, with only a touch of a sadistic smile, as she passes the test papers out to the class. Blargh. From the moment I walked into the room, I knew this wouldn’t end well. I am so not ready for this. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Eva, whispering to slander queen Amanda Gerard, then smirking at me.
My face starts to burn. I know what she’s doing. Telling Amanda what happened yesterday at the ticket giveaway. How Annalise Bradley was a fool, waiting for some guy she met online who never showed. Or worse, pretending to have a boyfriend that didn’t even exist and getting busted. I’d been such a complete lunatic, crying when he didn’t show, hysterically running through the mall, although if I
KnuckLise99 : we got to talking about the Inner Beauty track u sent. they remixed it and i told him i liked the original better. i dunno. i must have impressed him.
DecOlan : atta girl!
KnuckLise99 : so u see it’s all thanks to you. so you are so coming with me.
DecOlan : <
KnuckLise99 : what are you, under house arrest?
KnuckLise99 : forever?
DecOlan : not forever. don’t be mad.
KnuckLise99 : <
This time, at least, I am ready. I’d been racking my brain since the start what might have gotten Declan in trouble, bad enough to be grounded, sympathetic enough not to freak her out. Then I realized, the answer was staring me in the face. Right from my own life history. It was hands down the worst thing I had ever done. I still had mounds of guilt over it, even though I was only nine when it happened and my mom has sworn she has forgiven me by now.
DecOlan : got in a dumb fight w/my mom. shoved her. she fell. hurt her wrist. broke it. cast for six weeks.
KnuckLise99 : OMG. that’s awful.
DecOlan : i swear, it was a total accident. i feel sick over it. my punishment was loss of phone and to stay around the house until she gets the cast off.
I hold my breath, waiting for her to reply. Will she believe it? How will she react? Have I bought myself some more time? How much? I wait, hoping to see the signs that she is writing a reply. Nothing.
DecOlan : do u hate me?
KnuckLise99 : no, it just reminds me. when i was eleven, i threw some stupid CD at my sister. scratched her cornea.
DecOlan : ouch.
KnuckLise99 : she was fine. milked it for sympathy. made me feel wretched.
DecOlan : did she forgive you?
KnuckLise99 : eventually.
DecOlan : so you don’t get along?
KnuckLise99 : we’ve just always been total opposites.
DecOlan : how so?
KnuckLise99 : you know how i said high school isn’t really all pep rallies and prom committee? for my sister, it was.
DecOlan : gotcha.
KnuckLise99 : plus nothing ever bothers her. not even my dad—
She stops writing. The screen reads KnuckLise99 is replying. But the words take a long time to come.
KnuckLise99 : he left us for someone half his age. elena forgave him.
DecOlan : but you didn’t?
Again she doesn’t write back immediately, and I wonder if I have asked too much. When she does reply, she changes the subject.
KnuckLise99 : look don’t worry about the concert. i’ll take Maeve. we’ll hang once your mom is better. ok?
DecOlan : i’ll make it up to you.
KnuckLise99 : yeah right. what could possibly compare to a Knuckles concert?
DecOlan : our first date.
And then I describe it for her, a hazy Hallmark card come to life: a sunset picnic down at the beach, with chocolate-covered strawberries and lobster rolls; the crash of the waves and the smell of the salt air; the wind in our hair and the sand between our toes. Lying back, pressing flat onto the woolen blanket, holding hands as the wily seagulls circle slowly. Dashing into the waiting ocean, letting them steal our unattended crumbs. The date is easy enough to describe. I’ve only pictured myself and Cooper on it about a million times before.
Chapter 17
ANNALISE
“I hope you’re all ready,” Ms. Pinella says, with only a touch of a sadistic smile, as she passes the test papers out to the class. Blargh. From the moment I walked into the room, I knew this wouldn’t end well. I am so not ready for this. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Eva, whispering to slander queen Amanda Gerard, then smirking at me.
My face starts to burn. I know what she’s doing. Telling Amanda what happened yesterday at the ticket giveaway. How Annalise Bradley was a fool, waiting for some guy she met online who never showed. Or worse, pretending to have a boyfriend that didn’t even exist and getting busted. I’d been such a complete lunatic, crying when he didn’t show, hysterically running through the mall, although if I
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