Where You'll Find Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

go to school at all.
    “Too bad,” Rosalinda says with another flip of her hair.
    “So, how do you and Hanley know each other?” Misty asks.
    The last thing I want is for Nate to say anything resembling the truth, so I snap myself out of my stupor. “We met at Clinton’s party Thursday night.” I narrow my eyes in Nate’s direction, warning him to keep his mouth shut.
    My powers must work because he nods and says, “Yeah. Clinton’s party. It was…”
    “…awesome,” Rosalinda finishes for him. “But it would have been even better if Hanley would have introduced you to me.” She nudges my arm, and I know she’s disappointed she didn’t get to Nate first. If only she knew the whole story.
    I pull out my cell phone and glance at the display. “Oh, look at that. We gotta go. Good-bye, Nate.” The last two words are more forceful than friendly.
    “But we don’t have to…” Misty complains as I grab her wrist and drag her away.
    “Yes, we do. Lots of shopping to do. Let’s go, Rosalinda,” I say through gritted teeth, almost running into a woman with a stroller in my effort to get away.
    “Bye, Nate,” Rosalinda says. “See you later, I hope.”
    “Nice to meet you, ladies,” Nate calls. “Good-bye, Hanley.”
    I don’t look back.
    “Ouch,” Misty whines, and it’s only then that I realize how tightly I’m gripping her arm.
    “Sorry.” I let go and take a hard right toward the escalator leading to the mall’s lower level. This isn’t the path we usually take, but right now I need to put as much space between us and Nate as possible.
    Misty rubs her wrist. “What happened back there? You were kind of a bitch, and he’s way too hot for that.”
    “Yeah,” Rosalinda says from a few steps behind us, “what the hell, Hanley?”
    “It’s nothing. He’s nothing. Forget about it.”
    Rosalinda looks over her shoulder, as if she can still see him, even though we’re downstairs now. “Forget about him? Not likely. Did you see those eyes? The way he wore those jeans? And that crooked smile?”
    When I stop walking, it’s so sudden that Misty runs into me with an “oof.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. It calms me a little, so I open my eyes. We’re standing in front of Wet Seal, and lucky for me, they’re having a sale. “Let’s just shop, okay?”
    “But don’t you…” Rosalinda trails off as she approaches one of the displays in the window. “All shoes are buy one get one free? Seriously? Misty, you should buy that pair you saw last time we were here, and then I can get these, and we can…”
    Rosalinda and Misty walk into the store. I’ll join them in a second. For now, I glance to my left, toward Macy’s and the children’s play place, then to my right, toward the escalator. There’s no sign of Nate anywhere. Shaking off my thoughts, I head into the store, leaving Garage Boy far behind.
    …
    A few hours later, the three of us exit the mall, each carrying at least one bag. Rosalinda forgot all about the bustier, and we never saw Nate again. Misty drives to my house first, and when we pull into the driveway, I stare at the garage door. It’s not late, and I’m not sneaking in, but I’ll go into the house through the garage like I always do. As much as I want to avoid anything Nate related, using the front door would raise suspicion with my parents.
    I’m kind of afraid Nate will be in the garage. Afraid of what I’ll have to do after that. Images of cop cars and handcuffs and restraining orders fill my mind. I would do it to protect myself, but I don’t want the drama. I’m kind of afraid he won’t be there, too. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking about his eyes. His smile. The way he took care of me. His reaction to my school pictures. The way he noticed my change without knowing the story.
    “You gonna get out?” Misty asks. “Or you can come back to my house if you want. My parents aren’t home.”
    As appealing as that option