Waiting for Perfect by Kelli Kretzschmar Read Free Book Online Page A

lying paralyzed.   I feel warm pressure rising on my thigh
until it’s under my skirt and squeezing my behind.   The deep voice says something again, but I can’t even open
my eyes to see who it is.   I want
this to stop.   I know this is
wrong, but I can’t move.   I can’t
speak.   I can’t do anything.

Eight

 
    NICK

 
    After two games of
pool and two ass-whoopings by Megan and Sebastian, I’m ready to call it
quits.   I hand my cue stick to Lexi
the second she walks back into the room.
    “Here.   They’re killing me, and I’m a poor
loser.”
    She takes the stick
from me and looks to Candace who shrugs.   Candace isn’t a bad pool player.   Neither is Lexi, for that matter.   I don’t even know how to hold the stick right.   I missed every single shot and lost both games single-handedly.   My asshole cousin, who told me he sucks
at pool, turned out to be quite the shark.   He and Megan had a great time kicking our asses.
    Lexi pulls the
wooden triangle from under the table and starts racking up the balls.   “Hey, did you guys see Kendra?   When I came out of the bathroom, she
wasn’t there.”   She looks outside
to the kids dancing on the patio.   “Maybe she went dancing with Ryan.”
    I’ve been watching
that guy look at Kendra all night, and I don’t like it.   He’s been staring at her like he’ll
jump her at any second.   It’s
disgusting.   She obviously wants
nothing to do with him.   I saw her when
he threw his arm around her.   She
looked like she was ready to slap him.   But where is she?   Maybe I
misread her.   Maybe she is outside dancing with that douchebag.
    Dammit, why do I
even care?   I shouldn’t be worrying
about Kendra Voss.
    Across the table,
Megan has both arms around Sebastian’s neck.   She’s giving him a sexy smile.   We’ve been here for a little over an hour, and the bastard’s
already got a girl ready to spread her legs for him.  
    Some of the
football players come over to the pool table, and Sebastian hands his stick to
one of them.   “Here, man.   I’m done.”   Megan’s face drops.   “Nick, let’s go get a beer.”
    We start toward the
backyard.   Megan and the rest of
the girls stay behind to play with the football players.   Lexi seems especially excited to see
Troy McCall.   As we walk toward the
keg, I scan the patio to see if I can spot Kendra dancing with Ryan.   I don’t.  
    Sebastian is pouring
beer into his cup.   “Are you okay?”
he asks me.
    I turn to him,
surprised.   “Yeah, why?”
    “I don’t know.   I didn’t think you’d come tonight.   You don’t strike me as the party type.”
    “No.   I’m not.   But yeah, it’s cool.   I’m having fun.”   I actually am having fun.   It’s cool to hang out with my
cousin.   We used to be really close
when we were little.   I was able to
get out of San Antonio when we were still young.   Unfortunately, Sebastian was stuck there.   He had it pretty hard growing up, and I
know it changed him.   Even though I
bitch about it, I’m glad he’s in California now.
    He pounds half his
beer and refills it again before we move away from the keg.   I wonder if he’s getting drunk and how
he’s planning to get the Mustang home.   I wonder if he’ll be pissed at himself in the morning for even drinking
at all.   I thought he was going to
stop when he moved here.  
    “Hey, have you seen
that girl, Kendra?” I ask.   I don’t
know why I care so much about Kendra.   She’s probably off with Ryan enjoying her adolescence like I should be
doing.  
    “When?”
    “Like, in the last ten
minutes?   She kind of disappeared.”
    He gives me a sly smile.   “You got a thing for her?”
    “What?”   I feel my cheeks redden.   I’m not sure if it’s from embarrassment
or anger.   I never talk girls with
Sebastian.   “No, I don’t.   It’s just that she was hanging out with
all of us, and then she was gone.   I
don’t see