Pieces of Us Read Online Free PDF Page A

Okay?”
    I nod and dry heave into the toilet.
    “And, don’t worry about me saying anything. I know girls are weird like that. I doubt Ethan will say anything either.”
    I stare at the stupid crown.
    “Chin up, babe. Don’t forget who you are. You’re Pyramid Girl!”

Julie
     
    F or more than a month now, Katie has been moping around the house playing reverse dress-up. Each morning, it’s a different combination of sweatpants and T-shirt. The only days I see her make any kind of effort is when she has cheer practice. Then it’s cheerleading skirt, ribbons, and cheer shirt like the rest of the sheep.
    Mama speaks softly to her, like she will break any minute. She plots ways to get Ethan back. Ignores Katie when she says he likes someone else now, they just grew apart. It’s just high school, Mama.
    Chloe says to expect more days like this. When her older sister, who’s in college, got dumped by her boyfriend, it was waterworks every day. Katie doesn’t cry, though, just walks around like a zombie. She put a big calendar on her wall and crosses out the days until the lake house in red ink.
    One step closer to Sasha. One step closer to Katya.
    Today, Derek is coming over to help me study again. Maybe that will cheer her up. She always got along with him. Normally, I hate when boys come here because they forget I ever existed. But Derek already knows Katie, and he chose me . Three weeks ago, he was quizzing me on sample problems in my room. He played it cool, pretending to trip and pulling me down on the bed with him. His lips weren’t clumsy at all, so that’s how I know he planned it.
    But then I made one mistake. His kiss must have injected me with a dose of crazy, because that’s the only way I can explain telling Mama about it. She was making dinner, cracking eggs into a pan. I gave her all the details, like she was Chloe or something. “He must think I’m pretty,” I said, smiling.
    She took a break from her pan and tapped her fingernails on the table. For a second, I thought she would hug me. She had that look, but instead she patted my hand. “If you think so,” she said. “Help me with dinner?”
    But she’ll see when he comes today. She’ll see I’m not crazy and imagining things. She’ll see boys like me, just like they do Katie.

Katie
     
    E than has been giving me funny looks all day. So has Marissa. Did he tell her about the party? I pretend I don’t notice the two of them staring at me. Trina and Leah stop me at my locker after school and tell me I need an intervention.
    “You need to stop moping about Ethan,” says Leah, like this is an ordinary breakup.
    “Besides,” says Trina, her voice low like she’s letting me in on some juicy gossip, “I hear someone else likes you.” This last part she sings, like I should be jumping up and down, excited that some other boy in this hole wants to date me.
    “I’ll give you a hint,” says Leah. “He’s on the team, too, and just as hot, and it will make Ethan crazy jealous.”
    I get chills. I don’t care who it is. I don’t want anyone. I want to go to the lake house and start over and see Alex and be Katya.
    But they’re looking at me, waiting for me to jump. “Who?” I ask, plastic cheerleader smile on.
    “Chris,” they say in unison. “Can you just die?”
    I thought I already did.

Julie
     
    I t’s two weeks before summer vacation, and Chloe is planning a pool party for after the eighth grade graduation ceremony.
    When I tell Mom, her eyes bug out.
    “But why? You can’t tell me she actually wants to wear a bathing suit.” She’s nibbling on a carrot stick, which means she’s on another diet. If she keeps eating it that slowly she’ll make it last through tomorrow, which is probably her intent.
    I shrug. “Why not ?” I don’t look at her when I say this because I know exactly why not. I know how my mom’s world works, how the real world—as she sees—it works. Girls named Chloe are supposed to be