Action Figures - Issue Three: Pasts Imperfect by Michael Bailey Read Free Book Online Page A

through clenched teeth.
    “Oh. Oh, God, seriously?” I
nod and give her the high points of the night — or low points, depending on
your perspective.
    “And look, his car’s right there,”
I say, gesturing at Ben’s Chevy, which hasn’t moved an inch from its spot along
the curb. “I mean, come on, did Mom think I wouldn’t see this? God. I can’t
come home tonight. I can’t look at her.”
    “We’ll hang out at Coffee E
until it’s time to head over to Missy’s place,” Sara suggests. Fine by me. I
need some away time from my mother, at least until I cool down and can think
about this situation with a clear head. That should be around, oh, this time
next year, maybe?
    Halfway to my locker, Mrs.
Zylinski, her face alight with excitement, swoops in and blocks my path. So
much for catching a breather.
    “Carrie! I have some
wonderful — oh, honey, are you all right?” Mrs. Z says, pressing the back of
her fingers against my forehead, checking me for a fever. Personal space?
What’s that?
    “I’m fine, Mrs. Z. You said
you have something wonderful for me?”
    “What? Oh, yes! There was a
message waiting for me when I got in this morning...from Edison Bose himself.”
    Did she actually insert a
dramatic pause? Jeez. “Okay,” I say.
    “He wants to offer you the
internship.” Mrs. Z waits for me to squeal or gasp in shock, something to
signal my absolute rapture at this news, but I’m not the least bit surprised.
Don’t know why I’m not, but there it is.
    “Wow. Cool,” I manage.
    “It is much more than cool ,
Carrie, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Mrs. Zylinski says.
“Granted, it’s not a done deal, you’ll have to interview with Mr. Bose first,
but he was very insistent that you received first crack at the internship. Are
you busy after school today?”
    I glance over at Sara. She
shrugs.
    “No,” I say, “I guess I’m
not.”
     
    In the name of keeping the
peace for the day, Sara and I agree not to breathe a word of this to Matt.
Another go-round with him is the last thing I need.
    I don’t say anything to
Malcolm either, just to be safe, even though by all rights I should be bursting
at the seams to tell him what is, ostensibly, fantastic news — and it is great
news. It’s a chance to land an internship at a top-notch company and gain valuable
experience in the job market. Being able to put Bose Industries on a college
application would open a lot of Ivy League doors...and yet, apathy reigns.
    “Carrie, are you okay?”
Malcolm says. “You seem —”
    “I’m not sick. I didn’t
sleep well last night. I’m just tired.” I’m also tired of people asking me if
I’m okay.
    “I was going to say
distracted.”
    Crap. “I’m sorry. No,
I’m...”
    “Tired.”
    “Yeah. This school needs a
nap room.”
    “It has one,” Malcolm says.
“It’s called this computer lab, and naptime is called this web design class.”
    “What? You mean I’ve been
working all this time like a dope when I could have been sleeping? Man...”
    “Live and learn,” Malcolm
says, and his gentle smile makes me feel a hundred times better.
    You know what else would make
me feel better, Malcolm? If you asked me out again. That’d be great, you and I,
out on the town, having fun, enjoying each other’s company. Yep. Sure would be
awesome.
    Yep. Sure would.
    I’m right here, Malcolm. All
you have to do is ask me out.
    Or, Carrie, you big dummy...
    “Are you doing anything
Saturday night?”
    Malcolm does a small
double-take. “Saturday?”
    “Yeah. As in, this
upcoming.”
    “I didn’t have any plans,
no.”
    “Would you like to have
plans with me?”
    “Absolutely.”
    Squee! I mean, ahem, very
good.
    “What did you have in mind?”
    “No idea,” I say, “but I’ll
come up with something, and it’ll be brilliant.”
    “I have no doubt.” Malcolm’s
smile widens. It makes me all warm and tingly. “At least I know the company
will be excellent.”
    Finally, something