Like Jazz Read Online Free PDF Page A

sun.
    “You’re right. It does.” I kept my eyes shut, realizing how close my head was to hers and not daring to look at her. I found it difficult to string simple words together coherently when she was so near. The gymnast in my stomach did another cartwheel. I concentrated on our mutual project and managed to ask, “How far are you on the reading?”
    “I finished Act Three.”
    “Nice.”
    “We have almost two weeks until our presentation’s due. Think that’s enough time to read it and come up with what we think the major themes are?”
    “Sure. Though I can tell you already.”
    “Plagiarizing study guides doesn’t count. We need to have our own ideas and understand them thoroughly. Wilcox smells that half-assed copycat shit a mile away.”
    “I agree. I’ve read it before is all.”
    “You’ve already read Othello ?”
    “All of Shakespeare, actually. The plays, anyway. Not the sonnets.”
    Sarah laughed. “I’m sure you have,” she said sarcastically.
    After several moments of continuing to soak up the wonderful rays, I offered my initial thoughts on the subject. “I think the play is more about Iago than Othello, since he manipulates the other characters and preys on their weaknesses. But if you’d rather stick with the title character, I’d argue that his low self-esteem is his undoing.” I heard movement and glanced toward Sarah, who had shifted her body around on the bench to face me. Her eyes flashed angrily.
    “You’re serious. You have read it.”
    I nodded.
    “You’re saying I’m behind already?” she asked with astonishment.
    I sat up on my elbows, having already once experienced her wrath at feeling second-best, and shook my head. “No. Not even. If you’re already through Act Three, you’re way ahead of everyone.”
    “Everyone except you.”
    I registered the dismay and anger in her voice. I hopped off the table and faced her. “I’ll ask Wilcox to fly solo. Maybe you can work with Kip and Kevin like you wanted.” I looked at my feet, took a deep breath, and blew it out. “I…I read a lot. I didn’t mean to piss you off.” An uncomfortable silence ensued for several moments, until finally I heard her laugh.
    “I’m being a bitch, Cazz. I’m sorry.” She momentarily touched my forearm. “You didn’t do anything to piss me off. I’m just not used to feeling behind.” She pushed her sunglasses down to the bridge of her nose so her eyes could meet mine and gave me a devilish smile. “I should be happy I’m working with you instead of against you on this. We have an edge, thanks to you. Forgive me?”
    “Yeah, no worries.”
    She pushed her sunglasses to the back of her nose, covering her eyes. “All of Shakespeare, huh?”
    “Only the plays.”
    “You say that like it’s no big deal.”
    I gave her my best you’re crazy grimace. “It’s not like I can quote from it.”
    “No?” she asked with a trace of amusement.
    I shook my head.
    Sarah was quiet for a moment before a smile slowly lit up her face. “Well, that’s disappointing,” she said in a teasing voice.
    “Why’s that?” I asked, genuinely curious.
    She turned back around on the bench and resumed her earlier sunbathing position, stretching her long legs out before her. Facing skyward, she said nonchalantly, “I can’t look forward to being swept off my feet by you comparing me to a summer’s day and all that.”
    Had she just flirted with me? Did girls flirt with each other? Maybe it was a Southern California thing. Or I was simply imagining it. Real or not, it gave me a little thrill, and I went with it. “I’ll work on it.”
    “Do that.”
    I assumed my recumbent position on the table, then changed the only other line I knew from that poem. “Thou art more lovely, but…” I glanced at Sarah, who slid her eyes to mine. “Honestly? Not more temperate.”
    Swiftly, my shirt was tugged from beneath my head and thrown over my face. “Hey!” I said in mock protest, freeing