Everything That Makes You by Moriah McStay Read Free Book Online

gesturing to David.
    â€œHe was agreeing with me ,” Ryan countered.
    Fiona shoved them both away from her. “Good Lord, give it up! Change of subject!”
    Ryan and Lucy fell back against their sides of the couch.A slow smile crept across Lucy’s face as she focused on Fiona. “Well played, my friend.”
    â€œHmm?” Fiona said.
    â€œChanging the subject.” Lucy faced Ryan. “Originally, we were discussing how your sister’s a chicken. Somehow we got off track.”
    â€œYou used me, Fiona,” Ryan said, his hand over his heart. “I’m hurt.”
    The speed with which Ryan and Lucy switched from enemies to allies always amazed Fiona. She tried to look innocent. “I’m not chicken. I just don’t have anything.”
    â€œYou’re such a liar,” Lucy said. “And a chicken. And the only person in the world who could probably make a song out of ‘liar’ and ‘chicken.’” She then proceeded to sing—off-key—“ You’re a chicken who makes your friends sicken. ”
    â€œThat’s terrible,” Fiona groaned.
    Ryan latched on to Lucy’s truly awful tune. “And a liar who will . . .” He faded away, incapable of finishing such dazzling poetry.
    â€œCatch on fire?” David offered.
    â€œTrip on a wire?” Lucy said.
    â€œMake it stop!” Fiona said, clapping her hands over her ears.
    â€œJoin a choir?”
    â€œBreak the pliers?”
    â€œPeople!” Fiona yelled over the insanity of lyrics. “Leave the rhyming to the experts!”
    All three looked at her, eyes raised. After an exasperated sigh, she said, “You can call me a liar. A chicken. A denier. Say it’s singing I desire. I’ll just wait till you tire.”
    They all smirked, because the truth was, Fiona’s brain was made for this. Her body—spirit, whatever—was not.
    â€œYeah, I guess that’s better,” Ryan said, taking a lazy sip of coffee.
    â€œSo you’re going to sing then?” David asked. “At open mic night?”
    Fiona snorted. “I don’t think the chicken song’s ready yet.”
    Lucy looked at Fiona, with one eyebrow drawn down. This was the have-I-got-a-deal-for-you look. Not one good thing had ever come from it. “How about we kill two birds with one stone?” she said.
    â€œI don’t want to kill any birds,” Fiona said, feeling like a cornered animal herself.
    â€œToo bad. We’re making a bet.” Lucy looked between Fiona, Ryan, and the coffee shop girl. “If Ryan talks to that girl, you play at open mic night.”
    â€œYou can’t make a bet between two other people!” Ryan said.
    â€œI’m perfectly satisfied with my situation. I’ve got no stakes,” she said. “You don’t want Fiona to sing?”
    â€œOf course I do.”
    â€œI’m right here, y’all,” Fiona said. “How about I decide what’s good for me?”
    And Fiona had already decided. First, she felt no desire toforce a girlfriend on her brother. Second, performing live—in front of an audience— was not going to happen.
    â€œBecause you aren’t deciding,” Lucy said. “We’re going Tough Love.”
    Fiona was relieved that Ryan didn’t look as convinced as her best friend. Wait—did he think she’d be awful?
    Fiona looked toward the girl her brother couldn’t stop staring at. She was average height, with a pixie-size body and a cute little turned-up nose. A wide blue streak cut through the front of her short blond hair, and she had several earrings in both ears. Fiona wouldn’t have pegged her for Ryan’s type.
    The girl was laughing with a tall guy behind the counter with her. He looked older, at least in college. Tattoos covered his arms. He couldn’t look more opposite then her shortish, preppy jock of a brother.
    â€œHe has to