When You Were Mine by Rebecca Serle Read Free Book Online Page B

guess.”
    “Does anyone know what our budget looks like?” Charlie snorts and mutters the word “attention” under her breath.
    Lauren pulls out a folder and hands it to Charlie, and they start talking about money.
    “So what’s going on with Rob?” Olivia asks, lowering her voice so Charlie can’t hear. She slips her phone into her bag and squints at me.
    “I don’t know. I mean, we’re friends.”
    “Yeah,” Olivia says, “but you guys looked kind of cozy this morning.”
    I shrug, trying to prove I don’t care. I can tell my nonchalant act is fooling no one.
    “This is a nightmare,” Charlie announces, turning to us. “And why is no one helping me here?”
    Olivia wrinkles her nose. “I’m hungry. I can’t think when I’m hungry.”
    “It’s barely three o’clock, O.” Charlie holds up her watch to prove it.
    “I know, but I didn’t even get to eat my salad. Ben was . . .”
    Charlie waves her hand in the air and cuts her off. “Listen, guys. I thought being SAC this year meant we were going to take it seriously.” She crosses her arms. “Or I’d have asked other people to do it with me.”
    “Yeah? Who?” Olivia rotates her lollipop and smiles pointedly.
    “Whatever.” Charlie hands Lauren the folder. “This Friday. Fall Back. Let’s email to divide up the supplies and ask Mr. Johnson if eight o’clock is okay.” Lauren gives Charlie a little salute that I can tell really annoys her. She does this thing with her mouth when she’s angry. She kind of sticks out her chin and sets her jaw.
    “See you guys tomorrow,” Lauren says. She slings her backpack over her shoulder and gives us a quick wave, tucking the SAC folder under her arm and disappearing out of the PL.
    “That went well.” Olivia tosses her lollipop into the trash can. It misses, and she has to go pry it off the carpet.
    “Seriously?” Charlie says, watching her. “Can we just get out of here?”
    “What have I been saying?” Olivia looks at me for confirmation.
    The three of us start toward upper. The parking lot is practically deserted. Soccer practice hasn’t started yet. It won’t until next week, and Rob and Jake skipped last period to go surfing. I think about mentioning dinner with Rob tonight but decide against it. For just a little while longer, I want to keep it to myself.
    “Cal Block?” Charlie asks when we’ve reached the cars.
    California Blockade is a restaurant near school that we have been going to since the seventh grade. It’s Mexican, the best in town, and they have this queso dip that we all love. We call it “the special S ,” although I can’t quite remember why. I think it had something to do with “siesta,” but I could be wrong. The three of us always get the exact same thing: two orders of the special S and one guacamole.
    “Yess,” Olivia says.
    “I swear if you marry my brother, and we become related, I am getting you a speech therapist.”
    “Keep it up and I’m going to take Rose,” Olivia shoots back.
    Charlie puts her hands on her hips and looks at me. One of the unwritten rules of our friendship is that if the three of us are going somewhere together, then I always ride with Charlie.
    “Maybe I’ll just drive myself,” I say.
    Charlie rolls her eyes. “Maybe when pigs fly,” she says. “Just get in.”

Scene Six
     
    We always take the corner booth near the windows and away from the fan. You get a good view of the parking lot and Cinema Screen next door, where people from our school sometimes rent movies. One time we saw Dan Jenkins leave with Clueless . Charlie laughed about it for a week.
    The waitress comes over, and Charlie orders for us. Charlie always orders.
    “And sparkling waters, please,” she says when she’s through.
    “You mean club soda?” the waitress asks. The waitress always asks this, but Charlie just keeps ordering the same way.
    “Sure,” Charlie says, rolling her eyes. “Whatever.”
    “It’s freezing in here.” Olivia