Frozen Barriers Read Online Free PDF

her salad until she finally said, “Suzanne, I really think I ought to get going. My mother is going to be upset if I’m not back soon to take care of my class work.”
    Not ready to leave, Suzanne responded, “It’s still early, Em. What’s another half an hour? It will only take us ten minutes to get you home.” Emily scratched her head, visibly despondent for some reason. I’d seen her mom at work years ago, so I had an idea why she wanted to get home, and yet I couldn’t fathom living with such an overbearing parent.
    Without thinking, I spoke up, “I can take you home if you want.” Emily looked up, and I saw both relief and fear in her eyes. “I can take Josh’s car, and Suzanne can take him home when they’re ready.”
    Suzanne looked thrilled I suggested such a thing. “That would be great, Jeremy. If Emily really needs to leave then that will work out perfectly. Are you sure you don’t want to stay, Em? I mean, if not, it was really fun this afternoon. It’s just too bad we don’t get to hang outside the rink more often. And, I still need to teach you more about wet dreams.” My soda went spewing all over the table as I had a choking fit. Josh patted me on the back, trying to help me out.
    “I told you she didn’t have a filter,” he said. “On that note, Emily, the ride back to your house still stands if you want to go.”
    Emily stood and thanked Suzanne for a great time. She was about to give her some money for lunch, but I quickly grabbed her hand from her purse, and her eyes shot up to mine.
    “I’ve got this, Barbie.” I threw a twenty onto the table and waved bye to the other two as I escorted Emily out to Josh’s car.
    In my brother’s old Honda Accord, Emily buckled in and advised me where she lived in Andover. I started toward her house, and she cleared her throat, a sign she was uncomfortable sitting in the car with me.
    “Why do you keep calling me Barbie?” she asked quietly. I chuckled to myself because she clearly had no idea who I was.
    “I must have really made quite the impression on you if you don’t remember me.” She shook her head as she stared at me in utter confusion. “About four years ago, you were coming in for a dress rehearsal or something, and you were dressed in some crazy frilly getup with sparkles and nonsense. I was just finishing hockey practice at the Forum when you came out of nowhere, and I ran right into you, knocking you on your ass. I called you ‘Barbie,’ and when I bent over to try to help you up, you were so pissed you stormed off. I remember watching your practice session with my mom afterwards and thinking with your costume, makeup and hair, even at such a young age, you reminded me of a Princess Barbie doll. It kind of stuck, I guess.”
    She chuckled, and I felt as though I had butterflies in my stomach. What the hell was wrong with me? Girls never had that effect on me. Somehow this chick had worked her way around my finger, because I was pretty sure if she said jump, I’d ask how high.
    “Oh my gosh! That was you? I was so mad at you for knocking me over that day,” she said. We were maybe five minutes from Emily’s house when she quickly suggested, “Perhaps you ought to drop me off at the end of the driveway.”
    “Emily, I can drive you up to your door, a few more feet won’t run the gas tank dry.”
    “No, it’s not that. It’s just I was supposed to be out with Suzanne, and it might upset my mother if I show up with you,” she timidly said.
    I understood then. I remembered how her mom was and agreed, even though I wanted her to speak up and fight for once instead of getting trampled again. “Fine, but on one condition.”
    “What’s that?” she questioned hesitantly.
    “If I drop you off out here, you have to at least take my number and call me when you get home.”
    “Are you serious? You want me to call you when I get home when you are dropping me off at the end of my driveway?”
    “Yeah, you can never be