question is how? I don’t even know where it is, how often she wears it, where she keeps it. And it’s not like I can just steal it off her neck. I’m going to need help. I’m going to need Brody.
When we get home, I help my mom with dinner. We make chicken parm, coating the chicken breasts in breadcrumbs and then frying them in hot oil until they’re golden brown.
“Thanks for letting me get a new phone,” I say as my mom drops a box of spaghetti into a pot of boiling water. The smell of the sweet and spicy tomato sauce that’s bubbling on the stove is making my mouth water. I don’t know if it’s because I’m excited about my plan or simply that I haven’t eaten all day, but suddenly, I’m starving.
“Of course,” she says. “You need a phone.” There’s music playing from the satellite radio speakers that are built into the walls of our kitchen, and my mom reaches over and turns up the volume. “I love this song.” She sings along, swaying her hips to the music.
“Mom,” I say, rolling my eyes. “This song is for old people.”
“No, it isn’t.” She grabs me and pulls me into her impromptu dance. I giggle, doing an exaggerated move with my hands as she twirls me around the kitchen. For a moment, I’m just a regular teen girl, having a goofy moment with my mom. But as soon as the song’s over, I’m back to thinking about Raine and her necklace. I get quiet and then pull the loaf of Italian bread out of the breadbox and start slicing it.
“You okay?” my mom asks.
“Yeah.” I take a deep breath. “I just…I miss Cam.” It’s the truth. I do miss Cam. But I also have an ulterior motive. I want to be able to go out tonight and see Brody, and in order to do that I’m going to have to make my mom feel sorry for me. “I understand why you don’t want me to see him, Mom.” Lie, lie, lie. I take a deep breath and turn toward her. “But do you think I could at least call him?”
“Natalia,” my mom says, “You know how I feel about what hap – ”
“Yeah,” I say, shaking my head and cutting her off before she can start lecturing me about how horrible Cam is. “Yeah, I know you’re right. But then do you think maybe I could go over to Brody’s for a little bit tonight? I won’t stay out late or anything.”
She frowns, and I’m afraid she’s going to say no, so I put a sad look on my face, hoping to guilt her into it. And it must work, because after a second her face relaxes.
“Fine,” she says. “As long as I drop you off and as long as you’re not out late, I guess it’s okay.”
I envelope her in a hug, and when we’re done with dinner, I do the dishes and wrap up the leftover food without being asked.
“So can I go to Brody’s now?” I ask when the last dish has been loaded into the dishwasher.
“Sure,” my mom says. “Do you think Brody will drive you home if I give you a ride over there?”
“Yes.” It’s another lie, of course. The truth is I don’t know if Brody’s even home. But now that I’ve come up with the idea of getting Raine’s necklace, I need to talk to Brody and come up with a plan.
I go upstairs and change into a pair of jeans and an emerald green sweater, then pull my hair back into a ponytail. I slide my arms into the sleeves of my black puffy jacket and follow my mom out to Jerry the next door neighbor’s car, which apparently she’s still being allowed to use.
It’s getting later now, and the sun’s starting to set. By the time we get to Brody’s, it’s completely dark outside, and it doesn’t look like there are any lights on inside the house. For a moment I’m afraid no one’s home, but then I see Brody stepping out of his car.
My mom pulls in behind him and I reach over and tap lightly on the horn. Brody turns around and when he sees me, his face breaks into a huge smile. I feel relieved that he’s happy to see me, and that he doesn’t care I’m just showing up at his house without being
When we get home, I help my mom with dinner. We make chicken parm, coating the chicken breasts in breadcrumbs and then frying them in hot oil until they’re golden brown.
“Thanks for letting me get a new phone,” I say as my mom drops a box of spaghetti into a pot of boiling water. The smell of the sweet and spicy tomato sauce that’s bubbling on the stove is making my mouth water. I don’t know if it’s because I’m excited about my plan or simply that I haven’t eaten all day, but suddenly, I’m starving.
“Of course,” she says. “You need a phone.” There’s music playing from the satellite radio speakers that are built into the walls of our kitchen, and my mom reaches over and turns up the volume. “I love this song.” She sings along, swaying her hips to the music.
“Mom,” I say, rolling my eyes. “This song is for old people.”
“No, it isn’t.” She grabs me and pulls me into her impromptu dance. I giggle, doing an exaggerated move with my hands as she twirls me around the kitchen. For a moment, I’m just a regular teen girl, having a goofy moment with my mom. But as soon as the song’s over, I’m back to thinking about Raine and her necklace. I get quiet and then pull the loaf of Italian bread out of the breadbox and start slicing it.
“You okay?” my mom asks.
“Yeah.” I take a deep breath. “I just…I miss Cam.” It’s the truth. I do miss Cam. But I also have an ulterior motive. I want to be able to go out tonight and see Brody, and in order to do that I’m going to have to make my mom feel sorry for me. “I understand why you don’t want me to see him, Mom.” Lie, lie, lie. I take a deep breath and turn toward her. “But do you think I could at least call him?”
“Natalia,” my mom says, “You know how I feel about what hap – ”
“Yeah,” I say, shaking my head and cutting her off before she can start lecturing me about how horrible Cam is. “Yeah, I know you’re right. But then do you think maybe I could go over to Brody’s for a little bit tonight? I won’t stay out late or anything.”
She frowns, and I’m afraid she’s going to say no, so I put a sad look on my face, hoping to guilt her into it. And it must work, because after a second her face relaxes.
“Fine,” she says. “As long as I drop you off and as long as you’re not out late, I guess it’s okay.”
I envelope her in a hug, and when we’re done with dinner, I do the dishes and wrap up the leftover food without being asked.
“So can I go to Brody’s now?” I ask when the last dish has been loaded into the dishwasher.
“Sure,” my mom says. “Do you think Brody will drive you home if I give you a ride over there?”
“Yes.” It’s another lie, of course. The truth is I don’t know if Brody’s even home. But now that I’ve come up with the idea of getting Raine’s necklace, I need to talk to Brody and come up with a plan.
I go upstairs and change into a pair of jeans and an emerald green sweater, then pull my hair back into a ponytail. I slide my arms into the sleeves of my black puffy jacket and follow my mom out to Jerry the next door neighbor’s car, which apparently she’s still being allowed to use.
It’s getting later now, and the sun’s starting to set. By the time we get to Brody’s, it’s completely dark outside, and it doesn’t look like there are any lights on inside the house. For a moment I’m afraid no one’s home, but then I see Brody stepping out of his car.
My mom pulls in behind him and I reach over and tap lightly on the horn. Brody turns around and when he sees me, his face breaks into a huge smile. I feel relieved that he’s happy to see me, and that he doesn’t care I’m just showing up at his house without being
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