Falling Harder by W. H. Vega Read Free Book Online Page B

for
dinner, and only because I or one of the other kids go fetch it. Paul and Nancy
prefer to drink their meals, so it falls on us to provide for ourselves.
    I ditch my
backpack in the basement and head back out to forage among the fast food joints
this neighborhood has to offer.
    “I’ll be back in
a minute,” I say to no one in particular. Garrick and Conway have already
disappeared into the depths of the house to occupy themselves however they
like.
    “Can I come?”
says a voice from over my shoulder.
    I turn to find
Nadia lingering a few paces behind me in the dingy foyer. Like an idiot, I let
my mouth fall open before any words have occurred to me. Slack-jawed and
dimwitted: qualities I’m sure a girl like her would appreciate.
    “Uh, sure,” I
say, “I mean, if you really want to.”
    “Beats sitting
around here,” she says, following me out onto the porch.
    “Don’t you have
homework and shit to do?” I ask her, “Whatever you studious types get up to?”
    “I finished it
all while we were waiting for you,” she says with a smile.
    I let out an
appreciative whistle. “Damn, girl...that’s some freaky super genius shit.”
    “I think it’s
just called algebra,” she replies, “But thanks...I guess?”
    As we approach
the car, I have the ridiculous, out-of-nowhere urge to open passenger’s side
door for my companion. Where in the hell and idea like that could have come
from, I have no idea. I didn’t exactly grow up with any sort of gentlemanly,
chivalrous types.
    I hurry around
to the driver’s side, knowing that a gesture like that would be all kinds of
nonsense. This girl does strange things to me.
    We drive along
in silence for a long moment. My knuckles are white on the steering wheel as I
try and play it cool. This is one of first chances Nadia and I have had to be
totally alone, and I’m tweaking out just a little bit. And I don’t think my
panic is going unnoticed, either.
    From the
passenger’s seat, Nadia steals short glances at me before turning her eyes back
to the view from the window. I can tell she wants to talk, but I seem to have suddenly
lost the ability. I’m plenty good at spitting game, but with Nadia...that’s the
last thing I would ever think of.
    Even though
she’s stuck in the same trenches I am, she seems to be from a completely
different world. Around her, I feel like I’ve never even talked to a girl
before. Maybe, in some ways, I haven’t...at least, not a girl I was actually
interested in knowing as a person.
    “If I was harsh
this morning...I’m sorry,” Nadia finally says, breaking the silence.
    “What?” I say,
surprised out of wordlessness. “Harsh is not the word I’d use.”
    “I mean...I
forgot to say thank you for dealing with that jerk,” she clarifies, “I’m used
to taking care of myself, you know. I don’t quite know what to do with someone
who’s trying to help me.”
    “Yeah...I know
the feeling,” I mumble.
    “It’s weird,
isn’t it?” she says, her voice full of wonder, “Having each others’ backs? I
mean, I don’t think I can threaten to beat anyone down for you. But...I hope
you know that I’m here for you, all the same.”
    “Yeah. No. I get
that,” I say, fumbling my words, “I mean, seriously, don’t try and fight any
bitches on my behalf. But I know that if the time comes when I need you, you’ll
be there.”
    “Damn straight,”
she says.
    Both of us burst
into laughter at her trying-to-sound-tough thing. This girl is far more Sesame
Street than street, at least on the surface. Underneath, though, I can tell
that she’s tougher than she looks. I don’t think I’d like her as much as I do
if she wasn’t.
    We fall back
into silence as we drive along, but it’s changed somehow. It’s more
comfortable, more familiar. I don’t feel like I need to impress her, or say the
right thing. And good thing, too, because I don’t think I could if I tried.
    I swing the car
into some big name pizza place’s parking