Where the Staircase Ends Read Online Free PDF

unfair. It’s a Friday night for crap sake!”
    “Don’t use that tone with me, young lady.” She gave me one of her warning glares and moved toward the kitchen. I followed despite her dark tone, my cheeks flaring hot with frustration.
    “But the band doesn’t even go on until after nine. I’ll miss half the show! Are you trying to ruin my night? Do you want me to be a social pariah?”
    “Don’t be so dramatic, Taylor. Coming home early from a show is not going to make you a social pariah. And you’re lucky I’m letting you got out at all. You need to get a good night’s sleep so you can study tomorrow. You have a math test on Monday.”
    “Come on, Mom, its Friday . Plus I’m doing really well in that class.” I had to fight to keep the edge out of my voice. If it were up to my mother, I’d be chained to a textbook for the better part of an eternity.
    “Yeah, well, you can’t rest on your laurels. You need to finish the year out strong. And if I recall, you only got a B on your last quiz.” She gave me a pointed glare, then turned her attention to an unsorted stack of mail. My blood boiled over at her impassive attitude. Never mind that it was supposed to be my night, or that I’d planned every detail—from my outfit down to what I was going to say when I “accidentally” bumped into Justin. I was nothing but a walking report card to my mom. Study harder. Think harder. Work harder. More, Taylor. More, more, more.
    I should have had Sunny ask her. Whenever Sunny asked my mom for something she said yes. But when her own daughter was the one doing the asking, the answer was almost always a resounding no.
    “But Sunny doesn’t have to be home until midnight,” I lied, knowing full and well that Sunny didn’t have a curfew. Her dad didn’t care what time she came home as long as she came home, and even then sometimes he didn’t notice. But my mom would never let me stay out without a time stamp on the evening, and midnight was better than ten thirty.
    “Well Sunny doesn’t live in my house and you do, and I’m telling you that I want you home by ten thirty.” She frowned back at me, her eyes flicking down toward my right hand. “Stop picking at your nails, Taylor. It’s tacky.”
    I tucked my hands behind my back and ignored the familiar jab. “But it’s not fair! Sunny’s driving me. If you make me come home early, then you make her come home early, and this is like her favorite band of all time ,” I lied easily. “Please, Mom. It’s just a concert, and I don’t want to make Sunny miss the end of the show. We’re only going to listen to the band and then come straight home. I promise. I’ll come home as soon as it’s over, scout’s honor. And I’ll spend the whole day tomorrow studying.” When I saw my mom waning, I moved in for the kill, raising my hand in mock-salute while I gave her a “look how cute and angelic I am” smile.
    She rolled her eyes and shifted her weight. “I want your word that you will leave the concert venue by eleven thirty or as soon as the band is finished, whichever comes first. And I want you to call me as soon as you’re in the car and on your way home, do you understand?”
    “Yes, I promise. I’ll call.”
    “And none of this ‘my cell phone died’ BS,” she added, referencing my standard excuse for missing curfew or not calling when she asked me to.
    “I promise, scout's honor. We’ll just watch the band. No funny business. No loitering. Say no to drugs, crack is whack, no sex before marriage, etcetera.”
    “Not funny, Taylor,” she said with a contradicting chortle. I gave her one more angelic smile for emphasis—it never hurt to lay it on thick when negotiating with my mother. “And I mean it about studying. I want books open first thing in the morning, no excuses.” I nodded, resisting the urge to shout “Yes, drill sergeant!” back at her.
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    Sunny’s VW Beetle pulled up in front of my house a few hours