Family Ties by Debi V. Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

shoves me on my bedroom floor. “What did he give you? I’m not going to ask again.”
    “Nothing,” I insist. I push my backpack towards him. “Search it if you want. Search my room. Take me to school and search my locker. He gave me nothing.”
    “That’s not what we were told.”
    “You were told wrong,” I lie boldly. “He gave Arissa a present. Not me.”
    He glares at me with his brows knitted, as if he’s trying to puzzle it out for himself.
    “You’re lying.” He grabs the backpack and upends it, my books and notebook falling out and thudding against each other on the floor. He checks the pockets, emptying the contents haphazardly. Not finding what he expects, he tosses my room. Tearing the bed apart, dumping out drawers, clearing the closet.
    Through it all, I sit with my arms wrapped around my legs in the middle of the room, thankful my beautiful book is safe across the street. He can tear the house apart. He’ll never find it.
    Having run out of places to search, he mutters, “Clean up this mess.” 
    The thrill of triumph runs through me, but I keep it contained. It does no good to finally win, then lose it all in the one second it would take to get caught. I wait for the door to close behind him before allowing the smile to grow across my face.
    Parents and Victoria - one billion.
    Sara - one.

 
    CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    The coffee table in the Jericho’s TV room is pushed in front of the entertainment console to make room for our assortment of blankets and pillows. An hour after dinner and we’re already in our pajamas.
    Rose brings in two bowls of popcorn. One for me and Arissa, one for her and Andrew. Arissa starts a movie with the remote once everyone is ready.
    Near the end, the phone rings and Andrew goes to answer it. He returns less than a minute later with the cordless phone in hand. “Sara, it’s for you.”
    No. My parents can’t change their mind in the middle of a sleepover.
    I take the phone and leave the room. “Hello?”
    “Happy New Year, Parker,” Jason greets.
    I hear his smile through the phone. “It’s not New Year’s yet.”
    “Just go with it, Parker,” he says.
    I sit on one of the living room sofas and cross my legs. “I thought you could take a joke, J.”
    “I can, but you rained on my parade.”
    “What are you doing calling me here?”
    “I can’t call you at home, can I?”
    “No.” He can’t, so he calls me the one place he can because he knows I’ll be here. I bury my face in my free hand. “J, what are you doing?”
    Dipping his toe out of the friend zone.
    “I missed you, Parker.”
    My eyes water. “You can’t do this.”
    “Don’t friends call friends?”
    I play with the hem of my blue pajama pants. “They do, but we’re not just friends. Are we?”
    “I want us to be more than friends.”
    “It can’t happen.”
    “You keep saying that.”
    I dry my eyes. “Because it’s true!”
    “Don’t you think—”
    “No.” I cut him off. I can’t give him hope where there is none. I can’t allow it to take root in my heart either. My parents will crush it with their iron wills and I’ll be left with nothing. Again.
    “Are we still friends?” he asks, a hint of somberness in his voice.
    “I want us to be. You and Arissa are the only friends I have.”
    More silence.
    “What aren’t you telling me?” he finally asks.
    I’m damaged goods and you’ll never want to have anything to do with me when you find out. “I can’t. My pare—”
    “Okay. Say no more.”
    “How’s your vacation?” I ask, avoiding more questions.
    “Too many people under one roof. I had to walk down the street to call you and get away from everyone.”
    “Sounds dreadful.” I smile, even if he can’t see me.
    “The worst,” he says, playing along. “How’s your sleepover?”
    “We’re watching movies.”
    “I’ll let you get back to your movies, then. See you Monday, Parker.”
    I return to the TV room, settling into the blankets and