That Night by Chevy Stevens Read Free Book Online

okay.”
    I could tell she had a crush on Ryan. He didn’t come over often, but when he did she found a reason to be around, getting something from the kitchen or the fridge. Ryan was always nice, asking about school or something, but I’d glare at her until she finally got the hint and left us alone.
    “What are you reading?” I asked, still at Nicole’s door. I felt bad that when she asked the night before if she could borrow some of my good conditioner I told her to buy her own. Normally I didn’t mind sharing once in a while—I’d only said it because I was pissed at Mom. We’d just had another fight about my doing too much laundry and using all the detergent. Mom made me buy my own stuff, soap, shampoo, makeup if I wanted anything decent—she wasn’t just controlling with my life, she ran the family finances with an iron fist.
    Nicole looked up, surprised by my interest.
    “It’s a sci-fi book, about these kids who are super-smart and they have to save Earth from some aliens. It’s called Ender’s Game .”
    I glanced down the hall, my parents’ voices carrying from downstairs. I could tell by Mom’s tone that she was complaining about me again.
    “I wish someone could save me from Mom,” I said.
    “Maybe just do what she wants once in a while, then you guys wouldn’t fight so much. It’s not that hard to make a phone call.”
    “Maybe she should let me do what I want once in a while.”
    “She’s not going to, though. She’s not like that, but you’ve almost graduated. Can’t you try to get along until then?”
    Nicole always seemed so wise, or at least mature for her age, and so reasonable, so unlike me.
    “Probably not.” I laughed.
    “You’re a nut bar.” She shook her head. “She’s only like that because she cares.”
    “No, she cares about you .”
    “She loves you too.”
    “Not the same way.”
    “I’m just easier.” She shrugged, accepting her role in the family.
    “Yeah, you are.” It was hard not to like Nicole, and most people did, teachers, kids at school, my own damn boyfriend, which was one of the reasons I found myself picking on her sometimes. And she was so sweet—one of those people who always remembered birthdays and made personal cards. But, and it always made me feel bad thinking this, she was also kind of boring. She just never really did or said anything interesting. Not to me, anyway.
    I’d noticed lately that she was changing, though. I heard her talking on the downstairs phone a few times when Mom was working, giggling and whispering, then she’d change the subject when I came into the room. I figured she was talking to her best friend, Darlene Haynes, another goody-goody. I doubted they were up to much of anything. What kind of secrets could my sister possibly have?
    “You can use my conditioner if you want,” I said.
    “Really?” She jumped off the bed and ran to me, giving me a hug, enveloping me in her sweet lemony scent. “Thank you, thank you.”
    I hugged her back, wondering why she was so excited about some stupid conditioner. Since when did she care that much about how she looked?
    *   *   *
    The next week at school, Shauna kept hanging around in the hallway outside my locker or waiting in the parking lot with the other girls. If they saw me with Ryan, they’d walk away, but it was clear that they were trying to intimidate me. Ryan kept telling me, “Just ignore them,” but I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to handle it.
    That Friday night there was a party at one of Ryan’s friends’—his parents were out of town. Ryan picked me up and we smoked a joint on the way over. My parents knew I smoked cigarettes and probably had their suspicions about pot. Mom had found cigarettes in my coat pocket once, and I’d endured a few lectures about that. I told them I didn’t smoke a lot, which was true, but I didn’t tell them I liked it because it was a ritual Ryan and I had together. I loved going to Tim Hortons with