How To Break Up With An Alien by Magan Vernon Read Free Book Online Page A

can ask."
    "Okay, cool." He nodded and then headed out just as Simone stepped in, sipping a drink from a Subway cup.
    Simone shook her head and came in behind the counter. "I swear that guy wants to jump your bones. He could be a little less obvious about it."
    "Well he actually came by to invite us to a party."
    "Really?" She set down her drink and put her apron back on.
    "Yes, and I think you two should both go!" my mom yelled from her table. Of course she heard every word of our conversation.
    "Well if your mom thinks we should go..." Simone shot me a wink and I glared at her.
    "You can even take my car!" mom added, peering over her laptop.
    My mom barely ever offered to let me take her car. What the heck was going on?
    "If your mom is giving us the keys we really can't refuse."
    I let out a deep breath. I had already ditched Ace once and we were supposed to see each other again tonight. He had texted me earlier and said he had something special planned, but last time he said that he showed up five hours late carrying a box of cereal.
    "Come on Alex." Mom stood up and walked over to the counter. "It is your senior year. You can't spend every night cooped up in your room on the phone with your boyfriend."
    I looked from my mom's pleading eyes to Simone's attempt at hiding a smile.
    "Fine." I huffed. "We will go."
    I suddenly wondered what was more dangerous, a high school party or ditching an alien for the second time in a row.

Chapter 11
     
    "You owe me big for this," I grumbled.
    I glanced over at Simone as she tried to hide her smirk.
    As promised, my mom let us take her car after grilling us and eavesdropping on our conversation. She gave me the keys to her car and took mine home from Cuppa Java. When seven o'clock rolled around, Simone tossed off her apron and locked the door to the shop behind us.
    "You know you want to go." She winked.
    "Whatever." I rolled my eyes and unlocked the doors to my mom's car. I drove around in a POS and she got a brand new car with remote start. Unfair.
    Simone and I both slunk into the seats, overwhelmed with the scent of my mom's lavender air freshener.
    "Come on, it could be fun."
    I started up the car and pulled my seatbelt around me. "Yeah, so could a lobotomy."
    Brody's parents' farm was off Cunningham, like just about everything else in Winnebago. The sun hadn't fully set, so streaks of purple and orange dashed across the sky, skimming along the tops of the corn fields. The long gravel driveway continued on for at least half a mile before we reached the white farmhouse with its big wraparound porch and lace curtains in the bay window. Smoke billowed from behind one of the large red barns and wafted in the warm summer night air. I parked behind one of the many cars lining the grass turnabout and sat staring in the rear view mirror.
    "If you really don't want to go, we can just turn around and head back." Simone leaned forward.
    I pulled my phone out of my pocket. Ace had texted me a few times, but I didn't answer. What was I supposed to say? Sorry I ditched you because my mom is forcing me to hang out with other people?
    "Hello? Alex?" Simone waved her hand in front of my face.
    "I'm good." I slid my seat belt off and hopped out of the car. Simone followed closely. She looked around the farm, her eyes landing on each barn like she had never seen one before.
    "Who the hell invited you?"
    Without even walking a full ten feet, Gemma was already barreling at us.
    "It is your boyfriend's house, so obviously he did." Simone smirked, looping her arm through mine and walking around Gemma. "Maybe you two should work on your communication skills."
    I glanced back and saw Gemma's hands ball into fists before she stomped in front of us and headed toward the rest of the group at the bonfire.
    "Hey, you made it!" Brody stood up from his tree stump, ignoring Gemma and walking over to us.
    "I couldn't let Alex miss all of this." Simone smiled and waved her hand in a circle. I couldn't tell if she