Sliding (The Stone Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

walk back to Annie’s the rest
of the way in silence, Tate and I holding hands and Asia next to me. When we get
to Annie’s Tate whispers, “Good girl” into my ear then says, “Call me when you
get home, I don’t care what time it is I will turn the ringers off on all the
phones except the one in my room.”

 
    He looks at Asia and says, “You did the right thing staying with Brook, you’re
a good friend.” Then he turns and leaves us as we are climbing up the ladder
into Annie’s bedroom. I call my house and tell my parents that I’m sick and ask
to come home. Asia calls her parents and says the same. We both wait outside until
we see Asia’s mom and then my dad. Neither one asks us why the other is leaving
and we’re both glad we don’t have to explain.

 
    I call Tate the minute I get in my room and he picks up on the first
ring.

 
    “Do you believe me now about them, Brook?” is how he answers and I start
to cry. I tell Tate I was scared walking around at night going to meet strange
guys to do God knows what with and he says that rumor has it Annie and Missy
have been drinking and sleeping with the guys they went to meet all summer. We
talk for a while about nothing and after he tells me he was glad that I didn’t
try to hide what was going on from him he chuckles and says, “I’m glad you were
a good girl and didn’t go hang out with those guys but I wish you’d be naughty
for me. Good night baby, sleep with me.” And as Chicago’s “Hard Habit to Break”
comes on I close my eyes and fall asleep safe in my bed on the phone with Tate.

 
    At the start of summer Brook and I
have been going out for nine months and I hate when she does things without me.
When I get this phone call from Jeff I know why. He tells me that Missy broke
up with him because she met some guy at the carnival. I know she was at the
carnival with Brook and I am out of my mind thinking that Brook fucked some guy
too and she’s going to call and dump me next.

 
    “Jeff man, screw her, she’s
nothing. I don’t even think she’s that hot. I know she’s cool and all but
really you can do much better than her. I’m sorry man, I got to go and call
Brook. I’ll call you back if I can get anything out of her.”  

 
    I call Brook and I want to reach
through the phone and strangle her when she acts dumb about what went down at
the carnival. I’m scared and angry all rolled up together and it comes out in
my words and I hang up on her and take my phone off the hook. I feel better
knowing that I am the one in control now. I know she’ll be trying to call me
and won’t be able to get through. She’ll have to wait till I call her back.
That should show her who has the power in this relationship unless of course
she won’t take my call. Or if she’s just been waiting for an excuse to break up
with me, if she is I just gave it to her.

 
    When I finally call her she answers
on the first ring and I don’t recognize her voice. She sounds like she’s been
crying for hours. If anyone else made her cry I would kill them but because I
know she’s been crying over me I kind of like it. It lets me know that she does
care. But Brook continues to try to test my limits, see how far she can push me
with shit. It would be so much easier if she would just do what I ask and not
hang out with Missy and Annie. I know they’re trying to get her to hook up with
other guys and I have to find a way to get her away from them.

 
    I finally get my chance when she
shows up at my house one night. I hear rocks hitting my window and when I look
out I find Brook standing there. I’m wearing torn sweatpants and a worn t-shirt,
my hair is messy and I could kill her for making me come out like this. And
Asia is with her to boot!

 
    She tells me what happened and I
can feel the blood in my body start to overheat. I have the urge to punch
something but I manage to keep myself under control. I take her hand and lead
us back in the