The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares Read Free Book Online Page B

notice? Then the look vanished. “Yes. Come with me. I'll show you your room, then I'll bring your suitcase right up.”
    She followed him up carpeted stairs, past three bedrooms, to a bedroom facing the backyard with a thick peach-colored carpet, antique furniture, and two Kleenex boxes cased in Lucite—one on the bureau and one on the night table. It had curtains and a dust ruffle all right. And she would bet one billion dollars there was at least one box of baking soda in the refrigerator downstairs. “Is this the guest room?” she asked.
    â€œYes,” he answered, not understanding what she meant. “You get settled,” he said, using that idiotic word again. “I'll bring your suitcase up.”
    He started for the door. “Hey, Dad?”
    He turned. He looked wary.
    â€œIt's just that . . .” She trailed off. She wanted to tell him it was pretty inconsiderate not to give her any warning. It was pretty harsh walking into this house full of strangers without any preparation.
    In his eyes was a plea. She felt it more than she saw it. He just wanted it to be nice between them.
    â€œNothing,” she said faintly.
    She watched him go, realizing she was like him in another way. When she was with him, she didn't like to say the hard things.
    Dear Bee,
    The summer of Carmen and Al didn't survive past the trip from the airport. My dad is now Albert and is marrying Lydia and lives in a house full of Kleenex boxes and is playing father to two blond people. Forget about all the things I imagined. I'm a guest in the guest room of a family that will never be mine.
    Sorry, Bee. I'm being self-absorbed again. I know I'm a big baby, but my heart is rotting. I hate surprises.
    Love you and miss you,
Carmen

“ L ena.”
    Lena looked up from her journal as Effie appeared in her doorway. Effie scrambled in and sat on her bed. “People are here, you know. The party's starting.”
    Lena had heard voices downstairs, but she was prepared to pretend she hadn't.
    â€œ
He's
here,” Effie continued meaningfully.
    â€œHe?”
    â€œKostos.”
    â€œSo?”
    Effie got a look on her face. “Lena, I'm not kidding; you've got to see him.”
    â€œWhy?”
    Effie leaned forward on her elbows. “I know you'd think he'd be this little . . . Grandma's boy, but Lena, he is . . . he is . . .” When Effie got excited she didn't finish her sentences.
    â€œHe's what?”
    â€œHe's . . .”
    Lena raised an eyebrow.
    â€œStupendous,” Effie declared.
    Lena was naturally a little curious, but she wouldn't admit it. “Ef, I didn't come to Greece to find a boyfriend.”
    â€œCan I have him?”
    Lena smiled for real. “Effie,
yes
. Does it matter that you already have a boyfriend?”
    â€œIt did until I saw Kostos.”
    â€œHe's that great, huh?”
    â€œYou'll see.”
    Lena stood. “So let's go.” It was handy to have Kostos built up so much. When she saw him he would certainly be disappointing.
    Effie paused. “You told Grandma you were coming up to change.”
    â€œOh, yeah.” Lena rifled through her bag. It was cool now that the sun had set. She put on a brown turtleneck—her least sexy piece of clothing—and pulled her hair back in a severe ponytail. Still, the Pants were the Pants.
    â€œYou know, those pants do seem kind of magical,” Effie enthused. “They look great on you. Like, even better than usual.”
    â€œThanks,” Lena said. “Let's go.”
    â€œWheeee,” Effie said excitedly.
    So Kostos wasn't disappointing. He was tall. He looked more like a man than a boy; he looked at least eighteen. He was good-looking enough to make Lena suspicious.
    Granted, Lena was suspicious of many things. But she had earned her suspicions about boys. Lena knew boys: They never looked beyond your looks. They pretended to be your friend to get you to trust them, and as soon as you