Tilt (38 page)

Whatever. I go to the kitchen, rummage

around in the fridge for something

that looks appetizing. What I’m craving

is fruit. But no sign of peaches or

strawberries or watermelon. Only

some lunch meat, a hunk of aging cheese

that has def seen better days. Yogurt.

Out of date. “Damn it, Mom. When

was the last time you went to the store?”

What’s wrong?
It’s Bri, come to

fight me for the meager food supply.

I think there’s stuff in the freezer.

She watches me wade through

frozen waffles—crusted with ice.

Meatball sandwiches—upchuck food.

Frozen Chinese. Frozen Italian.

I start tossing stuff into the sink.

Into the trash. I empty the refrigerator.

Start on the freezer. Out of control,

but so what? “Not a single fucking

edible thing! Thanks for nothing.”

Bri’s eyes go wide and she yells,

Just because you’re pregnant

doesn’t mean you get to be a bitch!

She Knows!

Now Mom Notices

Trace

Stunned

What happened to my family

when I wasn’t looking? Too

busy playing video games,

and apparently paying

no

attention to the weirdness.

I pride myself on my ability

to grasp the tiniest details of

news

no one wants to share.

How, then, can my sister

be pregnant and thinking

about a procedure that

is

obviously not what she wants

to do? I could see that in

her eyes. That, and fear. It’s

good

that she’s afraid. But, hey,

Mom promised me drivers’

training if I keep quiet

about this unhappy

news

and don’t share it with Dad

for now. Booyah! Score.

Shane

First Week

Of my junior year, and everything

feels different. Incredible. I won’t

see Alex at school. He’s still at

Manogue, though he tried to talk

his parents into public school for

his last semester. They insisted

he finish out in college prep mode.

You’d think they would have jumped

at the idea. Catholic high school

college prep costs an arm and a leg,

or maybe even two of each. Oh, well.

Doesn’t matter. Alex and I are attached,

heart to heart. Last Sunday, he came

to the door, holding a teensy white kitten.

Look what I found. Someone dumped

her off in the sage next to my house.

I’d keep her, but we already have

three cats. Can you take her?

I almost said no. We’ve never

had pets. Too worried about Shelby

and dander. But I swear that kitten

looked me in the eye and begged,

“Please?” Okay, it was more like
Mew,

but she aimed that little entreaty

straight at me. “I don’t have any

food or a doo-doo box, or anything.”

Alex grinned.
I stopped by Petco

on the way over.
He offered the kitten

to me like the best gift ever. As

soon as I touched her silky fur,

I was hooked. I’ve been hiding

Gaga in my room ever since.

It’s been two days. So far, so good.

It’s like she knows she has to be quiet.

New Boyfriend, New Kitten

New car. Well, it’s a used car,

but it’s new to me. Dad finally

helped me get my license. Then

he took me to the Kia dealer

and helped me pick out

a previously owned Sportage.

You want an all-wheel drive

around here, and Kias have

a great track record,
he said.

The AWD is nice. But the car

is really sharp. Red. Black interior,

neat as a pin, except for a few

fast-food wrappers—all on me.

Even if it was a piece of junk,

though, it’s mine. If I had money

for gas, I could get in it and

just keep driving. Next summer,

I think I’ll do that. Take a road

trip somewhere I’ve only seen

in pictures. The Grand Canyon.

Disneyland. Seattle, maybe.

Wonder how Gaga would

like riding in a car. Wonder

if Alex and I will still be together

then. I can’t imagine us breaking

up. But his parents are pressuring

him to choose a college. Hopefully

Ivy League. I’ll be here, he’ll be