Tight Knit by Allie Brennan Read Free Book Online Page A

grandmother. 
    I take her hands in mine and she looks down at me with wide eyes. I don’t make gestures like this often so she better listen. 
    “Grandma Georgina, you are the only person I have on this earth. Nothing can happen to you, okay? If something happens to you, I’ll have no one.” 
    She pats my hand then takes my face into her hands, as she did when I was a kid. 
    “How about we just get some of those old lady railings installed so I have something sturdy to hold onto?” 
    I smile. “I can handle that.” 
    She rubs my cheek and I go back to making tea. 
    ~
    “So you were planning on giving me shi–um, scolding me for something this morning?” Spending time in Juvie really makes it hard to clean up the language. She doesn’t seem to pick up on it, so I continue. “Let’s just get it over with then.” 
    Gram sets her tea down and purses her lips together. Her thinking face makes me nervous so I react like I always do when I’m nervous–I lean back in my chair and act like I could care less about what she has to say. 
    “Where have you been sneaking out to? Is it for a girl?” She folds her hands in her lap. 
    I play with the bottom of my t-shirt, and adjust the leather band buckled around my wrist. I don’t want to say it’s a girl, because I don’t sneak around for girls, but it would break her heart if I told her I’m indebted to a drug dealer and run narcotics all over the city for them. 
    I stretch and put my hands on top my head, the wool hat tickling my fingers.
    I think of Hat Girl.
    “Yeah, Gram. A girl.” I can’t meet her eyes or she’d know I’m lying. 
    “Well I’d like you to break it off with this girl. Any girl who sneaks around in the night is not good for you.” 
    I nod and force back a smirk. Next thing she’ll say is to go steady and give my class ring to the head cheerleader. 
    “And, you are grounded.” 
    This makes me laugh. I look up at her and she’s frowning.
    “Gram, I’ve been on Probation for the last two years… It’s pointless to ground me.”
    “Right, then. I’m helping Talia plan the Christmas Charity Drive for my knitting club, you’ll help us too. That way I can keep a closer eye on you.” 
    I stop laughing, “No way, Gram. I love you, but not a chance.” 
    She narrows her eyes and sits up as straight as her crooked spine will let her. Her look of cold disappointment travels the length of me.
    “I wasn’t asking.” She tosses the blanket from her shoulders and carries her teacup to the kitchen. 
    I nod even though she can’t see me. 
    “Yes, Gram.” 

CHAPTER SEVEN
    Talia
     
    Now that I don’t have a boyfriend or a best friend, its way easier to go about my days completely unnoticed. After the freak out on day one, I’ve managed to stay invisible all week. I also haven’t had as many panic attacks. It’s like the less I allow people into my life the better I feel. And, I feel okay today. It’s just me and Nan.
    I sit at her kitchen island and knit. The only sound in the room is my knitting needles clacking together as I work on my fifth hat this week. I’m hoping to finish one more hat by the meeting tomorrow as well as come up with a really good reason why I can’t plan the charity drive. 
    “What do you have there, darling?” Nan asks, leaning over the island. This is the first time she’s gotten off the couch. She’s worn out, I can see it in every movement she makes. She still won’t admit that something’s wrong.
    I’m just about to press her for details again but she’s wiggling her fingers. I place my half done hat in her hands and get nervous as she inspects it. I just wish she’d tell me what’s wrong.
    “This is lovely. What is it?” She looks over her glasses. She only wears them when she knits. 
    I force a laugh.
    “It’s a hat, like the other one I showed you. This one has a skull on it, though.” 
    “Why in heaven’s name would you put a skull on a hat?” 
    “People