The Tori Trilogy Read Online Free PDF

hurt,” Joey mumbles under his breath. He lifts his gaze just the tiniest bit to Gina and me. “Sorry.”
    â€œThat’s okay,” Gina answers quietly.
    â€œNo, it isn’t okay!” I shout. I’ve had enough. More than enough. “’Sorry’ won’t cut it, Joey,” I say.
    â€œTori!” Dad snaps.
    I can’t believe this. He’s yelling at me? “They’re always bugging me, Dad. All of them. They never leave me alone. You just don’t get it.” I spin on my heel and march toward my bedroom.
    â€œTori....” Dad’s tone is softer now. He watches after me, as if he’s debating whether or not to follow me. Finally he seems to decide to stay right where he is.
    But Gina tails me into my room. She closes the door behind the two of us and studies me carefully. “Are you okay, Tori? At least we’re out of the attic now and--”
    â€œThis doesn’t have anything to do with the attic anymore,” I tell her. “It’s just, like, the last straw. Now do you see why I can’t write a ‘family brag paper?’”
    Gina only stares at me.
    It takes me awhile to snap out of my bad mood that afternoon, but by the time Mom returns from running her Saturday errands, I’m feeling a lot better.
    Gina and I tell her all about our plan to be gypsies for Halloween, and Mom agrees with us that it’s a wonderful idea. She helps us bring her large pile of seventies skirts down from the attic, and watches as we try them on again in my bedroom, modeling them for her.
    We finally decide on the skirts we like best (I choose a purple-and-blue paisley-print one since purple’s my favorite color, and Gina chooses a bright-yellow one with big red daisies splashed all over it). Mom says that she’ll definitely hem them to fit us.
    Then the three of us have hot chocolate and cookies in the kitchen, and by the time Auntie Luz comes to pick up Gina, we’re bursting with excitement for Halloween.
    That night, Andrew and Stephanie come for dinner, and I’m as happy as always to see them.
    Stephanie is my sister-in-law, and I love the sound of that. I love knowing that I actually have a relative with the word “sister” in her title. Especially after what happened today.
    Stephanie is also beautiful. She has thick blonde hair and big sparkly blue eyes, and a smile that makes you feel cared-about. Even though she is seven months pregnant, with a tummy as big as a beach ball, she still manages to look like one of those perfect people you see in a magazine.
    I run to the door after Dad lets them in, and the first thing Andrew does is to lift me off my feet and squeeze me in a bear hug. “How’s my favorite sister?” he asks.
    I laugh. “I’m also your only sister,” I say.
    He grins at me. “You never let us forget that, Tore.” He puts me back down, and I rush to Stephanie.
    She smells good, like perfume, when I hug her. Then I touch the bulge in her blouse and ask, “So, have you found out what the baby is yet?” even though I already know the answer to that.
    Stephanie laughs and runs her fingers through my hair affectionately. “Oh, Tori, Tori, Tori. You know we want it to be a surprise.”
    â€œI know.” I sigh. “I sure hope it’s a girl!”
    When the doorbell rings again, I’m positive it’s Jaine. Ben practically trips over himself as he dashes to answer it. He flings the door open and lifts her into his arms as though he hasn’t seen her in a month instead of just yesterday at school.
    They kiss right there in the entryway, their arms wrapped around each other and their faces lit up as if they’re the only two people in the world. I try very hard not to gag. If I did, I’d be as bad as Joey.
    Then Jaine spots me and gives me a big phony hug. How do I know it’s phony? I just do. Jaine has that way about her, that