The Perfectionists Read Online Free PDF

jeans and a gray T-shirt was walking toward her. For a moment, she thought he was Josh, but then she realized he was Jeremy Friday—Josh’s younger brother.
    â€œH-hey,” she said. “W-what are you doing here?”
    Jeremy gave her a sad smile. “Probably the same thing you are.”
    Caitlin blinked. Right. Jeremy and Taylor had been friends. Whenever the families had dinner together, they’d disappear and play video games for hours.
    Jeremy crouched down next to Taylor’s headstone and positioned a tiny figurine on the top. “There you go, buddy,” he said softly. He moved to the back of the headstone and plucked several more figures from the ground. Though they were faded and muddy, he propped them back up next to the new one. Caitlin had always wondered who brought those figurines.
    â€œIs that a character from Dragon Ball Z? ” she said.
    Jeremy glanced at her. “How did you know that?”
    She felt her cheeks redden. “I might have watched an episode or fifty with Taylor. Just to keep him company or whatever.”
    â€œNot because you actually liked it,” Jeremy joked, a smile on his face. “You know, it’s okay to say you like anime. The stories are amazing. Way better than American cartoons.”
    â€œAgreed,” Caitlin admitted, remembering how much she used to enjoy watching the episodes with her brother. They’d settled on the couch together, sharing a bowl of Parmesan-and-pepper-covered popcorn and discussing what crazy machine they’d have the inventor character Bulma build for them. “Do you still watch it?” she asked.
    â€œSure, though it’s only available online or on DVD these days,” Jeremy said. He peeked at her. “If you’re ever in the mood, I’m game.”
    Caitlin’s face reddened again. “Oh, no. That’s okay.”
    Jeremy looked at her evenly. “I get it. It’s not really Josh’s thing.”
    Caitlin lowered her head. She wanted to tell him she didn’t do everything with Josh, but that wasn’t really true.
    She looked at Jeremy again. His features looked a lot like Josh’s—they both had the same honey-brown eyes, the same high cheekbones, but Jeremy’s face was sharper, his chin and nose more pointed. The two of them were so different, Josh sporty and Mr. Popular, Jeremy a lot like Taylor—quiet, introspective, more into books than sports. Whenever she was at the Fridays’, he would sit at the end of the dinner table reading while Josh and his buddies played Madden .
    It was strange. When they’d been kids, Caitlin and Jeremy had shared a tent on camping vacations and spent hours together in the back of the car playing I Spy. Now they were almost strangers.
    She cleared her throat and looked at the action figures, then at Jeremy. “You come here a lot, huh?”
    Jeremy nodded. “I try to come every week.”
    Caitlin felt more tears rush to her eyes. “You do?”
    â€œOf course I do,” Jeremy said, pushing his hands in his pockets. “I miss him.” Then he cocked his head at her. “Aren’t you supposed to be at soccer right now?”
    Caitlin lowered her shoulders. “I pissed off the coach.” She looked at her brother’s grave again. “And then I just needed to talk to him.”
    â€œI know the feeling,” Jeremy said softly.
    She swallowed hard. “Sometimes I’m not sure I’ll ever get over it, you know.”
    Jeremy squinted. “Maybe you don’t have to. And maybe that’s okay.”
    It was the most perfect thing he could have said to her. It was what she always wanted Josh to say. “Thank you,” she said softly.
    Jeremy looked surprised. “For what?”
    Caitlin shrugged. “For coming here. For saying hi to Taylor. For understanding. ”
    â€œWell. You’re welcome.” Jeremy stood up and brushed off his pants.