Never Enough by Denise Jaden Read Free Book Online Page A

I left. I’d told Claire I wouldn’t be home after school, but when I turned the corner toward our house, I nearly swallowed my tongue. Josh Garrison’s blue Civic sat in our driveway.
    To anyone else it might have looked like an average car—a decade old with a dent in the back fender. My heart raced with excitement. To me it looked like the pearly gates of heaven welcoming me in, and as I walked toward it, I waited to hear a chorus of “Hallelujah.”
    I strode through the front door with a permagrin, expecting to see them on the couch, but there was total silence. I checked the kitchen, but found only a mess of crumbs on the counter. Maybe Claire made him a sandwich and then they went out to the backyard? But the only movement back there was the wind in the trees.
    Mom and Dad had sat Claire and me down and talked about dating (not allowed until we’re sixteen) and boys in our rooms (not allowed ever .)
    So much for that.
    I opened the front door again, but this time I slammed it, nice and loud.
    A moment later, as expected, Claire’s voice trilled from the upstairs hallway. “Yeah, so that’s the grand tour. Not that exciting. Let’s go watch some TV now, like we planned.”Claire can be a great liar, but her false words wavered. She came into view with a slightly exaggerated bounce in her step. Josh followed, looking less enthused.
    “Oh, you’re home!” I said, feeling like such a fraud. “Hi, Josh,” I added in little more than a whisper.
    Josh smiled and I couldn’t help smiling back. His bright blue eyes were like the pictures of water in travel brochures that make everyone want to go on vacation. I blinked and forced myself to stop staring. The whole exchange, in my very own house , was making my stomach do jumping jacks toward my throat.
    “I’m hungry. Want anything?” I strode for the kitchen, forcing one foot in front of the other.
    “I could go for another sandwich,” Josh said, dropping onto the couch beside Claire.
    “My mom will be home with pizza soon.” Claire patted him twice on the knee and gave a little head-shake in my direction.
    I slipped into the kitchen, letting out a long-held breath.
    I wasn’t actually hungry, more like ready to toss my lunch from the idea of Josh being here, but I pulled cupboards open anyway, just to calm myself. It helped, and a few minutes later I walked back into the living room with a plate of crackers and a few cheese slices. I wasn’t really disregarding Claire’s instructions. And who cared if I was?
    I set it down in front of Josh. “Just a little snack. You know, until dinner.”
    I’m pretty sure he smiled at me again, but I focused on the TV to keep my raging anxiety levels in check. In my peripheral vision, Josh leaned forward and helped himself. I inched away and sat on a chair in the corner.
    Claire and Josh murmured between themselves, things I couldn’t hear. Then, I couldn’t believe it—Claire leaned forward and helped herself to a cracker and some cheese! It was all I could do to hold back from making a comment about ruining her dinner.
    Not long after, Claire excused herself to the bathroom upstairs. She was funny about using the main one when guests were over. I kept my eyes drilled into the TV—it would be all I would need to have Josh catch me staring at him—but when I took a quick microglance his way, he was staring at me ! The room suddenly felt warmer. And smaller.
    “What?” I blurted, in all my eloquence.
    He smiled, and there was something so delectable about those upturned lips. “I was just wondering if it was true? What that paper at school said?”
    I coughed, nearly choking on my saliva. “I-I . . . It was from sixth grade,” I said, wanting to find a bucket of ice water to submerge my head into.
    “Oh.” He nodded, his grin still in place but faltering just a little.
    I glanced toward the stairs, and suddenly Claire was there. A rush of guilt ran hot through my veins.
    I concentrated on breathing in