Bounce by Natasha Friend Read Free Book Online Page B

not golf—even if it’s dragonrelated and I have zero interest—I am the actual sibling here.
    â€œMack,” I say. “I need to talk to you.”
    But he just grunts, rising halfway out of his chair and yanking the joystick so his knight charges ahead.
    â€œMackey. It’s important.”
    â€œHold on,” says Ajax. “Let me kill him first.”
    I want to say, I wasn’t talking to you, Cleanser Boy, I was talking to my brother. But I don’t.
    I sit on the beanbag in the corner and wait.
    â€œI can’t believe you’re still wearing that thing.”
    Mackey looks at me, and I can see the dragon-slaying ecstasy in his eyes. “What? It’s just a shirt.”
    â€œIt’s not just a shirt,” I say.
    I can’t believe he doesn’t get it, because it’s so obvious, and if I have to spell it out for him, then what’s the point.
    â€œOperation Glue,” Ajax says.
    â€œEx cuse me?” I say.
    He grins. “GLUE. It’s an acronym. Gartos-Linney Utopian Experiment? Two families, stuck together ?”
    Mackey smirks.
    â€œWhatever,” I say, and start for the door. I don’t want to be in here anymore. It’s not helping. It’s making everything worse.
    I’m halfway down the hall when a hand taps my shoulder.
    â€œHey. Evyn. Are you okay?”
    I whip around. “Yes! For the hundredth time. It’s just a broken nose.”
    Cleanser Boy shakes his head. “No. I mean, are you okay? You seem bummed.”
    I don’t say anything.
    â€œIs it the wedding? Because, you know, it’s weird for all of us. The thought of having a new dad…I mean, your dad’s cool and everything, it’s just…you know.”
    I stare at him. This is the most he’s ever said to me.
    â€œYeah,” I say. “I know.”
    â€œI haven’t seen my dad in five years. Did Al tell you?”
    I shake my head.
    â€œIt’s true. One day he was here, the next he was gone. Packed up all his clothes and just took off. He said the ‘parenting thing’ wasn’t for him. Direct quote.”
    â€œSeriously?”
    He nods. “He has a new wife now, in Denver. Tiffany. Who’s, like, nineteen.”
    â€œOh…sick.”
    â€œYeah. He used to call sometimes, on our birthdays. Not anymore, though. Now he sends money. Lots of money. Which is good, I guess. But it’s not…you know—”
    â€œNot like having a real dad.”
    Ajax nods. “Yeah.”
    â€œHuh.”
    For a minute we don’t say anything.
    I think about Stella. I think about how things would be different if she didn’t die—if they only got divorced.
    After a while I say, “At least you got to know him. I mean, you got eight years, right?”
    He shrugs. “I guess.”
    â€œWell, that’s seven more than I got. With my mom.”
    Ajax frowns. “Right. I knew that. Hey, I’m sorry, Evyn. That was…I shouldn’t have said anything.”
    â€œIt’s okay.”
    He shakes his head. “No. I wasn’t thinking.”
    â€œIt’s okay. Really.”
    â€œOkay,” he says.
    The conversation seems to be over, so I start to walk away. But then I remember something. All week I’ve been looking for clues. A snippet of phone conversation ( “Andrea is so hot” ). A certain name doodled on the back of a notebook ( Ajax luvs Andrea, S.W.A.K. ). So far, nothing.
    Maybe it’s time I tried a new tactic. “Hey. Do you like anyone?”
    Ajax looks at me. “What. Girls?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œAt your school?”
    â€œYes, girls at my school. Do you like anyone?”
    He smiles. “Who wants to know?”
    â€œDo you always answer a question with a question?”
    â€œWhy? Am I annoying you?”
    â€œAre you going to answer the question?”
    â€œDo you want me to?”
    I feel like I’m talking