Beginnings by J.M. Sevilla Read Free Book Online

after school, and my dad will pick us up out front.”
    “Is she one of the parents who contributed to your angst and sorrowful gray eyes?” Jeremy joked looking directly at me.
    Haley eyed him so fiercely that a blind man would have cowered. “You're kind of a jerk, you know that? I know everyone in this school is worshiping you at your feet because you can dress yourself and apply hair gel correctly, but I'm not seeing the appeal.” She stormed off.
    “What was that about?”
    “My parents are dead,” I replied flatly.
    All color drained from his face. “I guess that does make me a jerk. I'm really sorry.”
    I hated the look of pity people gave me over my parents. I just prayed he didn't follow up with “that must have been so hard on you,” that was my least favorite.
    “It's fine, it happened a long time ago.”
    “I mean, I'm sorry because I assume you live with your cousin now. No wonder you avoid people. If I had to be around 'legally blonde' twenty-four-seven I'd welcome the sanctuary of the library too.”
    That was the first response I had actually liked. His eyes clearly showed the remorse he felt for my loss, but he wasn't expecting me to reminisce about the pain I suffered, was still suffering, and would always suffer.
    We continued talking the rest of break and I couldn’t help but notice how relaxed I was with him, as though we'd been friends for years. At one point he reached over and touched my hand. I noticed Adam wince, but he remained silent. Seeing Adam respond to our touch sent more of a thrill through my body than having Jeremy’s hand actually touch mine. Adam's whole body relaxed when Jeremy finally got up to leave.
    “When do you want to get together for the assignment?” Jeremy asked.
    “Are you busy Sunday?”
    “Nope. I'll come by around two?”
    I wrote down my address for him and he left.
    “Couldn't you have met somewhere?” Adam finally spoke up, seeming irritated.
    “I guess, but this way we don't have to worry about any interruptions.”
    “You're just working on an English assignment.”
    I gave him a devilish grin, and his mouth dropped.
    “You do like him?”
    I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't expect him to look so crushed. Guilt churned inside me when I realized the enjoyment I was getting from seeing Adam jealous. I had never deliberately hurt his feelings before.
     
     
    ********
     
     
    "Your room is so bare,” Jeremy observed looking around, “I have never met a teenager before who didn't have crap covering every corner.”
    I hadn't really thought much about it before, but I guessed he was right. On the main wall I had my full size bed. To the right was my bedside table which only had a lamp and my alarm clock/mp3 dock. On the other side by the window was Adam’s chair. My desk was against the wall next to the door. The desk had some stacked books and my laptop. There was a shelf above it, lined with books and my jars of seashells and rocks I had collected with Adam.
    Jeremy walked over to my desk and ran his hand over my shelf of books.
    “Wow, you're really into poetry.”
    I heard Adam making a grunting noise. He was sulking in the corner by the closet, arms crossed in front of him.
    Jeremy's fingers trailed along the titles, then pulled out a book, “You like some pretty dark stuff.”
    I wasn’t sure how to answer him. Poetry wasn't really my thing, it was Adam's. He put the book back and turned around.
    “I guess we should get started.”
    I sat down in Adam's chair before Jeremy had a chance to. I knew that would have sent Adam over the edge. I thought Jeremy would take the chair at my desk but he plopped himself down on my bed. I didn't even have to look at Adam to know he was annoyed.
    We spent the next hour compiling ideas for an alternate ending. I was surprised at how easily we agreed on things. What surprised me even more was how much fun I was having.
    I went downstairs to get some sodas. Adam stayed behind. He felt he needed to keep an