Shattered Girls (Broken Dolls Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

Sleep sweet, angels.”
    “Bye!” I call, but he’s already hung up. Well, that was the shortest phone call in the history of ever. What’s
up
with him?
    “He’s probably just very busy,” Gabby says, as if reading my mind. “But he’ll be here tomorrow!”
    “He’s acting weird!” I rise on my tiptoes to make a point. “He’s been brainwashed by that company, see if he’s not.”
    “Yes, and you’re just totes jumping to conclusions.” She smiles, but I can tell she’s annoyed. So am I. She always plays the devil’s advocate—and she
knows
that even though I jump to conclusions quickly, I do often get it right.
    “Fine.” I smooth out my tutu and stretch. “Is it time for bed? We have school tomorrow.”
    Sianne gasps dramatically, her hand getting caught in her tangled hair when she strokes it. “School? The prison! The brainwashing cult!” She breathes in, but doesn’t breathe out. “Have fun.”
    “Could we stay in Jason’s old room?” Gabby gently pushes the bowl of cereal away.
    That’s it. I’ve had it with her petulance and stubbornness. “Stop calling him Jason! He’s not even here, so why do you insist on disrespecting him?”
    “Because if I act like he’s not here, then it means I’ve accepted the fact he’s not coming back!” Gabby stares me down, her eyes filling with tears. I don’t know how she manages to keep them from rolling down her cheeks.
    “Sorry,” I whisper after a tense silence. I glance at Sianne, who purses her lips.
    “Well, this is mighty awkward. I don’t care where you sleep; just don’t bother me in the morning. My anime-inspired-yogga starts at dawn and lasts until midday. I need complete concentration.”
    “What’s anime-inspired-yoga?”
    “It’s pronounced
yogga
.”
    I hesitate. “No, it’s definitely yoga.”
    Sianne dismisses me with a hand flourish. “Anime-inspired-yogga is my own creation. You pose as characters from classic series. If I were to do the Charizard, I would do this.” She stands from her chair and squats slightly, raising her clawed hands in the air and opening her mouth. “Then, if I were to do the Sailor Moon, I’d do this.” Sianne makes a circle with her hands around her chest and spins in attempted slow motion. When she stops, she leans on the chair to regain focus. “Whoof! Dizzy. But that’s just a taste. Pretty good, huh?”
    I try so hard not to laugh, but Sianne doesn’t make it easy. “It’s pretty amazing.”
    Next to me, Gabby has gone red with breathless laughter. She clutches her tummy and finally manages to catch her breath, only to burst into a fit of hysterics. Sianne may be crazy, but at least she makes us laugh. And right now, that’s the best gift she can give us.



here’d you get that money?” I sit across from Gabby at Denny’s.
    I love Denny. He turned a seedy nightclub into a family-friendly cafe. The once-tarnished floorboards are now gray tiles and the walls have been painted a midnight blue, with a large moon and the yellow words ‘DENNY’S DASH’. The tables remind me of stars, because they’re all covered in sparkly silver cloths. He’s really good to Gabby too and often gives her free milkshakes. He’s in his thirties and is a single dad. His daughter has Down’s syndrome and Gabby often spends time with her after school. Denny likes it when Gabby talks to his daughter—probably because it’s unnerving watching her talk to a doll all day.
    “I took it from Sianne’s swear jar before she woke up.” Gabby bites into a pie, and I cringe when the sauce runs down her chin. “There were a
lot
of quarters.”
    “That’s stealing!”
    “Is not! It’s borrowing. Besides, she’s my guardian now, she has to feed me.”
    Hmm. She has a point, but I don’t like it, so I change the subject. “Why haven’t we called the police about your parents yet?”
    “Because Grandpa said not to.”
    Oh, Gabby. Please don’t speak with your mouth full. “Don’t you think