One Lonely Degree by C. K. Kelly Martin Read Free Book Online

beside you.” She’s completely sincere, and that makes me feel like an evil stepsister. “What was all that about Billy Young anyway? Is that supposed to be a joke?”
    “No idea.” I shrug. “He’s psycho, remember?” I begin to fill her in on all the stuff I remember from Jersy’s daredevil years.
    “Was he that hot when he was six?” she interrupts, her face scrunching up like she’s in physical pain.
“Moron,”
she says emphatically. “Moron question.”
    “He was every six-year-old’s dream.” I adjust
The Great Gatsby
under my arm and attempt a straight answer. “He was okay, I guess—I mean, he was just a kid. We went swimming and stuff.”
    Audrey smoothes down her kilt and looks straight up into my eyes. “Do you like him? I mean, it’s not like I’m going to jump him in science last period, but is he available as a lust object?”
    “Audrey, I don’t even know him. I’ve spoken to him maybe twice.” I make that sound more casual than I feel because I have no intention of standing in her way. The complexity of doing anything more than staring at Jersy makes me feel claustrophobic and defective.
    “And you’re dedicated to Record Store Guy, right?” Audrey’s eyes dance, and I think of all the times I imagined losing my virginity to Ryan. He’s not Raine Maida but he’s definitely a Beautiful Boy. Even now my chest aches faintly while thinking about him.
    “In that pathetic worshiping-him-from-afar way, yeah.” I’m only partly joking, but Audrey smiles. “It’s cool,” I tell her. “Go lust after Psycho Boy.”
    “Cool.” Audrey grins with her whole face. “But if I’m gonna lust after him, he can’t be Psycho Boy, okay? It’s too weird.”
    “Okay,” I tell her, and the minute I say it I know this is going to be different. Audrey could never all-out fall for someone called Psycho Boy. That’s why he has to be plain old Jersy.

MY P aren TS K ee P the musical chairs game going for three more days. On the fourth, when Dad sits down to dinner across from Mom, I feel like someone walked over my grave. They keep Daniel and me busy talking to cover their tension, but I feel it anyway. I’m relieved when dinner is over, and as I scoop up plates Mom announces that she’s going over to Anna’s house for tea. “Finn and I can handle the cleanup,” Dad offers.
    “Actually, I thought Finn might want to come along,” Mom says, raising her eyebrows hopefully as she turns towards me. “You can see your old friend.”
    “He’s not really my friend,” I protest. “I barely speak to him.”
    “But you were great friends,” Mom says. “You always used to want to come with me when I stopped by Anna’s.”
    “That was a long time ago,” Dad tells her, carrying dirty glasses over to the sink. “Just because you want to go doesn’t mean she does, Gloria.” Dad never sides with me when Mom’s involved; he’susually the one who tries to stop us from fighting. It’s a small thing, but the change catches me off guard. Things could get worse. Where does it end?
    Mom stands in the middle of the kitchen looking defeated. “Anna said you were welcome to come. I didn’t think I was dragging you along—just offering.”
    “I didn’t say you were dragging me.” They’re not going to fight over this. I may not have control over many things, but this situation is one of them. “I just don’t want Jersy to think he has to hang out with me if he doesn’t want to. That’s all.”
    “Anna already mentioned it to him.” Mom pushes a stray hair back with her palm. “Of course it’s up to you, Finn.”
    Dad’s crashing the dirty dishes around in the sink, making more noise than he has to. Daniel’s on his feet, hurrying out of the room before Dad can ask him to dry. Anything I say now will be wrong. “Fine.” I put my hands on my hips and stare at Dad’s rigid back. “Let’s go.”
    Five minutes later we’re walking up to the Mikulski house. Mom makes me hold the