Attempting Elizabeth Read Online Free PDF Page B

on a year,” he answered.
    “Kelsey went there. Just think, Kels, you could’ve had Mark for a teacher.”
    All eyes swung back toward me. The thought of Mark being a teacher of mine was making me feel vaguely sick to my stomach. My brief moment of gratefulness toward Tori evaporated. Was she on some kind of narcotic that made her suddenly witchy toward her basically harmless best friend?
    “I graduated from high school almost six years ago, Tori. The same year you did.”
    Tori flashed Mark another smile. “I didn’t go to Whit Prep though. Plain old public school for me.”
    “And me,” Charlie grinned. “I don’t know how I forgot you went there, Kels. Remember that dance I went with you to; what was that? The one right after you broke up with that football player.”
    “Junior formal.” I muttered into what was left of my drink.
    “Oh, yeah. How could I have forgotten that!”
    I grimaced. “It was a pretty forgettable evening.”
    Luckily, Mark didn’t seem interested in comparing people we may or may not know in common. The fact that he was probably colleagues with my former teachers was disconcerting. I was just hopeful that he’d never feel a need to go through any old year books.
    “One of the pool tables is opening up. You guys want to play?” asked Danny. There was a mass exodus from the table. I didn’t blame them, the conversation wasn’t exactly sparkling. If I’d had opportunity to escape, I would have.
    “Are you trying to torture me?” I asked Tori as soon as we were alone at the table. “He could have been my teacher? Seriously?”
    “I was trying to involve you in the conversation,” she defended herself. “What’s up with you? You’re not usually so standoffish. Is it because of what happened last night? Mark doesn’t seem the type to hold a grudge.”
    “No, that’s not it. I mean, only partly. I don’t know, I just feel awkward.”
    “Well, you’re certainly acting awkward.”
    “Um, thanks babe, real uplifting,” I said sarcastically.
    She arched an eyebrow at me. “I’m trying tough love. Something to break you out of this weird funk.”
    I sighed. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
    Tori grabbed her bag. “Let’s hit the ladies room. I have another shirt you can wear.”
    I stared at her, dumbfounded. “You have another shirt?”
    “Well, yeah,” she grinned. “Things happen when you’re in nature; it’s best to be prepared.”
    I followed her to the bathroom, studiously ignoring the guys at the pool table in the corner. When I finally surveyed the damage to my shirt, complimented by the tendrils of hair escaping my ponytail and sticking out wildly around my face, I actually laughed. “I look like a homeless person.”
    “It’s not quite that bad,” Tori grinned at me. “Close though.”
    I ducked into a stall and changed out of my smelly shirt and into Tori’s black t-shirt. It was a little bit short on me, but as long as I didn’t raise my arms, I wouldn’t show any midriff. Wearing something that didn’t smell like hiking trail and booze totally trumped not having freedom of movement.
    I redid my ponytail and scrubbed my face with cool water before we went back out. I wasn’t going to win any beauty contests, but I felt significantly better than I had before.
    As we walked back into the pub, I glanced over toward the pool table. I stopped in surprise. There was a blonde in a very short dress leaning against the pool table, her head tilted toward Mark. Her body language was pretty darn aggressive. While I watched, she reached out and put a hand on his bicep.
    Charlie was standing off to the side looking uncomfortable—he seemed to be scanning the crowd as if he was looking for someone. He caught sight of us and seemed relieved. He shook his head slightly at us.
    “What’s going on?” Tori asked me in a confused voice.
    “I have no idea.” I felt my jaw drop as the blonde tossed her hair over one shoulder, her face turning in our