Halversham by RS Anthony Read Free Book Online Page B

you stop coming, then?”
    “My mom got sick. You know that.”
    “No, I mean, why didn’t you visit before that? It’s been three years since you last visited. Your mom only got sick in the last two. Why didn’t you come before?”
    Andy had no idea Corrine took note of his visits, and he had no excuse to offer. In the end, all he could do was shrug. “I don’t know. I usually came with my mom. I don’t know why she didn’t come that one year.”
    “So why are you here now?”
    “Because my mom loved Halversham, and I wanted to see it again.” He shrugged again and Corrine laughed.
    “And here I was thinking you came back because of me,” she said, spreading her arms.
    “We weren’t that close, were we? I mean, you were always doing your own thing, and I hung out with my mom or Mort most of the time.”
    “But I told you all my secrets.”
    “Secrets?” Andy was confused.
    “You were the only one I could trust,” she said. “So much shit went down in the last three years and I had no one to talk to.”
    “Corrine… I’m sorry. I thought you were a happy-go-lucky type of girl who shared everything with everyone. I didn’t know you told me secrets. Besides, we didn’t talk that much, did we?”
    “That’s so typical of you.” Corrine sighed and shook her head. “You know, I never understood you. And you haven’t changed.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You look like this nice friendly guy, and everybody wants to be friends with you, but the moment they try, you pull back. It’s like you don’t want to get close to anyone. You’re so…” Corrine looked up to find the word and said, “Aloof.”
    “That’s not true.”
    “That’s exactly true. You’d rather be superficially close to my mom or Mort than be genuinely close to me or any of your peers. It’s crazy.”
    “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Really? Who’s your best friend at school?”
    “Well, I talk to a couple of guys. And girls.”
    “Anyone you’re particularly close to? Like people you hang out with and talk emotional stuff with?”
    “Guys aren’t wired like that. We don’t talk emotional stuff.” It wasn’t entirely true. He did talk about emotional stuff with his mother for hours on end. But mentioning that would only strengthen Corrine’s grossly inaccurate point.
    “Right.”
    “Look, yes, I like talking to older folks, but it’s not superficial. And it doesn’t mean I don’t make friends with people our age, or that I’m less genuine with them.”
    “Fine. Do you have a girlfriend?”
    “No.”
    “See?”
    “See what? It’s got nothing to do with anything. It’s a choice.”
    “And you choose to be close to no one. Not me, not your friends at school, I bet. It’s as if we’re not good enough for you.”
    “That’s absurd. I don’t select my friends, and I’m not aloof. I’ll prove it to you. I’ll have at least one buddy right here in Halversham by the time I have to leave.”
    “Deal. We’ll see how close you’re capable of getting to him. Or her.” She lifted an eyebrow teasingly and Andy rolled his eyes.
    They were in front of Mr. Doyne’s house now.
    “Do you want to come up and at least deliver this last one with me?” Andy asked, holding up the package meant for Mr. Doyne.
    “You know I can’t.”
    “No, I don’t. Why?”
    “I don’t talk to these people. I can’t maintain my crazy, angry front with you standing next to me.”
    “So you never talk to them even when you make a delivery?”
    “Nope. Never.”
    “How do you get them to pay?”
    “I just stare at them like a raving mad creature and that usually gets the message across.”
    “That’s crazy,” Andy said, unable to believe Corrine’s determination. “Why would you want to be this person you’re not?”
    “Because I hate them. I hate the whole damn town and I won’t give them the satisfaction of me being civil.”
    “Fine. Stay uncivilized here. I’ll go up.”
    Corrine