A Bird on a Windowsill Read Online Free PDF Page B

live in South Carolina? That’s going to be weird—not having your dad around.”
    I take a bite of my square fish sandwich.
    “Eben, we’re going with him.”
    “What?” I stop chewing.
    “We’re moving next month.”
    “Wait,” I say, trying to swallow. “You’re moving to South Carolina?”
    She nods again.
    “But that’s like, on the east coast.”
    “Mm hmm,” she says.
    “That’s halfway across the country.”
    “Mm hmm,” she somberly hums.
    “But we just started school.”
    “I know,” she says.
    I put down the sandwich and feel my eyes moving to the cafeteria’s big glass doors. A girl is walking down from the parking lot. I mindlessly follow her path. I’m thinking of Vannah not being here. I’m thinking she can’t not be here.
    “Next month?” I ask, returning my full attention to her.
    She nods, and I just stare at her. I’m not even completely sure what look is on my face. I know my mouth is cocked open, but I’m in so much shock I don’t even care to fix it.
    “That’s fast,” I say.
    “I know.”
    I push my tray to the side. Suddenly, I’m not that hungry. Dillon and Josh set their trays down next to mine. But at their first sight of my face, they scoot to the other end of the table, instead.
    “Does lover boy know?” I ask Vannah, ignoring Dillon and Josh.
    “Yeah,” she says, lowering her head.
    “Oh course,” I say. Of course, he knew first.
    “I broke up with him.”
    “What?” The word comes out louder than I think either of us expected it to. Dillon and Josh both look up but then quickly go back to their square sandwiches after I shake them off.
    “I’m sorry,” I say to her. “But what did you say again?”
    “I...just wanted a clean slate, I think. Rylan was nice...but... He’s just not for me, I guess.”
    My chest is heavy, but from somewhere, I feel a smile rising up. Though, I quickly check it before it gets to my mouth, and I clear my throat, instead.
    “I’m sorry,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck.
    “It’s okay. It would have happened eventually.”
    I find her eyes, and I just can’t help but grin a little after hearing that.
    I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but it’s nice to hear she knew it, too.
    “Don’t,” she says, starting to smile. “Don’t you dare, Eben.”
    She lifts the carton of chocolate milk to her lips and takes a drink.
    “What?” I ask.
    “Come on. I know you didn’t like Rylan.”
    “No,” I say, dropping my gaze to the table. “I had nothin’ against Rylan, really.”
    I glance back up at her and catch her stare. She’s got this pout glued to her face—the look she gets when she knows I’m lying.
    I shake my head. “It was you and Rylan I had a problem with.”
    “Eben!” She starts to laugh.
    “What? You already knew that. Don’t act so surprised.”
    She levels her eyes on me and holds them there for a few faultless moments. And it’s in those moments that I see her. I see the girl I spent my whole childhood falling in love with. She’s still there.
    “Eben, I want to spend my last month here with you.”
    I cock my head to the side. I swear I’m hearing things.
    “You wanna what?”
    She shrugs. “I feel like we haven’t spent more than ten minutes together in the last year.”
    “Well, that’s true.”
    “Well, let’s fix that,” she says. “You’re my best friend, and I’m leaving here soon. Let’s have the most fun we’ve ever had.”
    I’m not sure exactly if I can believe what I’m hearing. Sure, best friend isn’t maybe the best of titles, but if it gets me the opportunity to spend more time with her, I’ll gladly take it. I’ll gladly take whatever time I have left with her. I can’t even think about her leaving. And I won’t. I won’t even entertain the thought, until I have to. Until then, it’s me and her— just me and her. And I’m more than okay with just thinking about that.
    “The most fun we’ve ever had, huh?”
    I try to control