Invisible by Marni Bates Read Free Book Online Page B

any of that is a challenge for her.
    â€œThanks, Lane .” I put a heavy emphasis on her full name just to annoy her. Lane and Jane Smith. I seriously don’t know what our parents were thinking when they picked out our names. Of course, my sister had found a way to make it work for her. She started signing everything “L” back in middle school. That was it, just one initial. L. Smith. But the abridgment stuck to the point that even my parents found it a more natural fit than her given name.
    Now it feels weird to even think of calling her anything else.
    Unfortunately, my name isn’t quite as flexible when it comes to nicknames. I mean, theoretically I could have started signing things J. Smith. But since my associations with the name “Jay” are restricted to birds or middle-aged men with receding hairlines . . . I wasn’t exactly tempted to make it permanent. Or even temporary.
    My sister has always been the lucky one.
    Elle crossed her arms and smirked. “I’m just telling you the truth. It’s not my fault you look like crap.”
    Definitely time to escape to the privacy of my bedroom.
    â€œI’m so glad you’re home, Lane, ” I called back over my shoulder as I climbed the stairs to my room. “And only two weeks and two days before you leave. Not that I’m counting or anything.”
    And then I slammed my door shut so I wouldn’t have to hear her reply.
    It was only when the lock clicked into place that I was able to release the breath I had been holding and my tension began to ebb.
    I love my room.
    Back when I was six I convinced my parents to let me have my grandma’s bed after she passed away. I risked what the other elementary school kids, including Kenzie, termed “death cooties” because it was the most luxurious thing I had ever seen. The large wooden frame included four spindly posts that spiraled upward before disappearing into a canopy of rich golden-yellow fabric that draped and billowed above me.
    And it was all mine.
    Mainly because by the time Elle realized that “death cooties” weren’t a big deal, my dad had sworn that he was never moving that blasted bed so much as an inch ever again. That was the only time I could think of when my sister had been jealous of me.
    I flopped down on the bed and stared at the fabric pattern I’ve admired every morning for the past eleven years. It was comforting knowing that the exact same view would greet me the next morning. Especially because it felt like nothing else in my life was stable anymore. Not when my friends were on a first-name basis with rock stars, and football players were probably planning on stuffing me into trash cans.
    Which was why I wanted to enjoy the familiar view in peace while I could still see out of one unbruised eye.
    My cell phone started ringing.
    So much for that plan.
    â€œIsobel told me everything,” Corey announced, instead of saying hello like a normal person.
    â€œAbout landing the front page of the school paper?”
    â€œYeah. Someone’s been a busy girl. Apparently, you’re working on an article right now. Funny how you never mentioned it.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œYeah, ‘oh’ is right! I thought we agreed that when it comes to big news, I’m always your first phone call. What happened to that, friend? Suddenly, I’m not good enough for you?”
    I grinned. No one does fake indignation quite like Corey. “Nope. You’re not important to me at all.”
    â€œThat’s what I thought.” I could hear the smile in his voice.
    â€œIt’s not like I’ve told you all my secrets and embarrassing moments or anything. Oh wait . . . yes, I have.”
    â€œWell,” he said melodramatically, “I don’t recall my phone ringing this time.”
    I rolled my eyes and instantly regretted it when a jolt of pain shot through me. “Consider me properly