Infinite in Between Read Online Free PDF Page B

had been hoping Zoe Laybourne would come shopping too, but whenZoe didn’t show up at lunch all week, Whitney assumed Kyra had scared her off. Sometimes she wished she could dump Kyra, but that would make her life hell.
    â€œWhat did you say again?” Whitney’s dad asked. He squirted a few droplets into the tank. It sent ripples into the water, making the fish flutter their iridescent tails.
    â€œI’m supposed to go to the mall tomorrow night.”
    â€œSorry, Whit,” her dad said. “I need to talk to you girls. The mall will always be there. The campground closes for the season in a few weeks.”
    Whitney bit her lip. She decided not to tell him how she and her friends were planning to search for leopard-print unitards to wear on the homecoming float. The freshman homecoming theme was “Back to the Jungle.” Her dad would say it was trivial. That was what he thought about most things that were important to Whitney.

GREGOR
    GREGOR’S MOM MADE spaghetti the evening of the homecoming parade. Spicy red sauce and extra Parmesan, exactly the way he liked it. It was just Gregor and his parents because Erica was getting Chinese food with Russell, her sleazy boyfriend who drove a blue pickup truck with oversized tires.
    â€œI’ve got something for you,” Gregor’s dad said. His eyes were teary as he reached toward the counter for a wrapped present.
    â€œSmile, sweetie,” Gregor’s mom said. She had her phone up, recording the scene.
    Gregor set down his fork. Thank god Erica wasn’t here. She was always making fun of the way their parents babied Gregor. “Why did you get me something?”
    Gregor’s dad smiled. “Just open it.”
    Gregor carefully peeled off the tape. Inside was a brown leather journal with his name engraved in gold letters on the front.
    â€œIt’s the same kind of journal I had when I was your age,” his dad said. “My dad gave it to me on my first day of high school. I had to backorder yours. That’s why it’s a little late.”
    â€œThank you. I love it.” Gregor flipped through the blank pages,wondering about all the things that hadn’t happened yet but would feel important to record in one, two, even three years.
    It was exciting to think about that. It made Gregor wonder about Whitney.
    After dinner his dad dropped him off downtown and then headed over to Nana Margaret’s. His parents took turns bringing meals to his dad’s mom, who was eighty-two and lived alone. Gregor waved good-bye and then walked toward the small crowd gathered along the street for the homecoming parade. He rubbed his hands together, wishing he’d brought gloves.
    â€œHey, Gregor!” Dinky called, waving him over.
    Dinky was standing with some other ninth-grade guys from band. The first week of school, Gregor had started drums with Dinky. It was a lot, running from drums to orchestra and practicing two instruments, but it was also fun to do something different. With drums, Gregor could let loose. Cello was much more precise.
    â€œIt’s crazy cold, right?” Dinky asked. The marching band was passing so he had to shout.
    Gregor watched the band closely. Freshman percussion practiced with the marching band, but they didn’t perform with them until spring.
    â€œThey’re playing that song from The Jungle Book ,” Gregor said, blowing warm air on his fingers. “How come?”
    â€œBecause of our float,” Dinky said, pointing down the street. “The freshman theme is ‘Back to the Jungle.’ Didn’t you hear all those announcements about decorating it?”
    An old-fashioned fire truck rolled past them. It had a bannertied to the side that said GO, HANKINSON WILDCATS . Behind that, an SUV was pulling a flatbed with a plastic palm tree and a bunch of people shrieking.
    Gregor laughed. Even his braces felt cold. “What does ‘back to the jungle’