The Rules for Disappearing Read Online Free PDF Page B

teeth.
    “What’s the hold up? Don’t we get out of the program after
    that?”
    Dad’s head comes up and his expression is odd. Like I’m crazy.
    “It’s not as simple as that.” He stands up and throws his cone in the trash. He won’t look at me. “We’re not going back home. We’re in this program for the foreseeable future, so please don’t make things any more difficult than they already are.”
    “Dad, something’s different this time. I don’t know what it is—
    things just feel wrong.”
    “Stop talking about it!” Teeny screams, then throws her cone
    on the floor and runs from the store. I chase her out, dumping mine on the way. I catch her at the wagon and try to pull her in close but S—
    she’s shaking and hitting me with her fists. I don’t stop her.
    N—
    I glance through the window and Dad’s cleaning up the spilled
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    ice cream. God forbid he leaves the mess there to check on his daughter, who is completely. Freaking. Out.
    When Dad finally comes out he picks Teeny up, who’s kicking
    and screaming now, and carries her to the car. She’s really loud and draws a crowd pretty quickly, including the cheerleaders who walk out of Old Navy straight into my family breakdown.
    Everyone watches as Dad tries to stuff Teeny in the car. Her
    legs are so long they’re making a helicopter motion in the air. One foot clips dad on the side of his head, and he lets out a loud yelp. He finally gets her bottom half inside the wagon but she grabs onto the door. He pries her fingers loose and slams the door shut, leaning against it as Teeny beats on the window. Most people have walked away by now except the group of cheerleaders who cluster together and start whispering like crazy.
    Teeny’s in the car crying and Dad’s breathing hard. I stand in front of the cheerleaders, hoping to block some of their view.
    “Show’s over. Go find someone else to gawk at.” I hate that they saw Teeny like this.
    The whispering stops as every eye turns on me. A dark-haired
    cheerleader steps forward. “Excuse me?” She actually made excuse me six syllables.
    “You heard me. There’s nothing else to see here.” I may regret this later but I can’t seem to stop myself.
    “You’re right,” the dark-haired girl says then looks me up and down. Slowly. “Nothing worth seeing here.”
    A few ugly remarks float my way as they get into their car but at least they stopped talking about Teeny.
    —S
    Class tomorrow should be loads of fun.
    —N
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    Mom is sprawled on the couch with an empty gin bottle and a box of tissues. There are, like, a million little pieces torn up on the floor.
    “Girls, why don’t you go to your room and get started on home-
    work. I’ll help Mom clean up this mess.”
    As if she’s going to be any help at all. We head down the hall to our room where Teeny throws herself across one bed, covering her face. She’s ignored me since her meltdown.
    Stretching back on my bed, I pull out my homework. I haven’t
    worried about my grades for the last three placements since my transcript won’t follow me to the next school, so I make sure I know just enough to not look like a dumbass if I’m called on in class.
    I think back to my conversation with Dad. The Plan took a
    major hit today. I never thought this situation would be permanent.
    The way Dad talks—we’re in this for life. But I’m more determined than ever now. No way in hell I’m moving around and living like this forever.
    “I don’t have any homework, so can I have my book from the
    bag?” Teeny’s hand is out, but she’s still turned away from me. At least she’s talking.
    “Sure.” I hand her the book she was working on yesterday. “Do
    you want to talk about it?”
    “No.”
    She starts a new puzzle and the concentration on her face