[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
were together, Spencer realized Ali really might tell on her.
Then, strangely, a light, free feeling swept over her. Let her,
Spencer thought. She suddenly didn t care anymore. And
even though it sounded horrible to say now, the truth was,
Spencer wanted to be free of Ali, right then and there.
Now Spencer felt nauseous. She heard the toilet flush.
Wren strode out and stood in the closet s doorway. Now,
where were we? he cooed.
But Spencer still had her eyes on her computer screen.
178
Something on it a flicker of red just moved. It looked
like . . . a reflection.
What s the matter? Wren asked.
Shh, Spencer said. Her eyes focused. It was a reflection.
She spun around. There was someone outside her window.
Holy shit, Spencer said. She held her T-shirt up against
her naked chest.
What is it? Wren asked.
Spencer stepped back. Her throat was dry. Oh, she
croaked.
Oh, Wren echoed.
Melissa stood outside the window, her hair messy and
Medusa-like, her face absolutely expressionless. A cigarette
shook in her tiny, usually steady fingers.
I didn t know you smoked, Spencer finally said.
Melissa didn t answer. Instead, she took one more drag,
threw the butt in the dewy grass, and turned back toward the
main house.
You coming, Wren? Melissa called frostily over her
shoulder.
179
25
Student Drivers These Days!
Mona s mouth dropped open when she came around the
corner to Noel s front lawn. Holy shit.
Hanna leaned out the window of Sean s father s BMW
and grinned at Mona. You love it?
Mona s eyes lit up. I m speechless.
Hanna smiled gratefully and took a swig from the Ketel
One bottle she d swiped from the booze table. Two minutes
ago, she d texted Mona a picture of the BMW with the mes-
sage, I m all lubed up and out front. Come ride me.
Mona opened the heavy passenger door and slid into the
seat. She leaned over and stared intensely at the BMW
insignia on the steering wheel. It s so beautiful . . . She
traced the little blue and white triangles with her pinkie.
Hanna flicked her hand off. Get stoned much?
Mona raised her chin and appraised Hanna s dirty hair,
crooked dress, and tear-stained face. Things didn t go well
with Sean?
Hanna looked down and jammed the key into the ignition.
Mona moved to hug her. Oh Han, I m sorry . . . What
happened?
180
Nothing. Whatever. Hanna jerked away and put on her
sunglasses which made it a little hard to see, but who
cared? and started the car. It burst into action, all of the
BMW s dashboard lights switching on.
Pretty! Mona cried. It s like the lights at Club Shampoo!
Hanna slammed the gear into reverse and the tires rolled
through the thick grass. Then she jerked it into drive, cut the
wheel, and off they went. Hanna was too keyed up to worry
about the fact that the double lines on the road were quad-
rupling in her vision.
Yee haw, Mona whooped. She rolled down the window
to let her long, blond hair flutter behind her. Hanna lit a
Parliament and swiveled the Sirius radio dial until she found
a retro rap station playing Baby Got Back. She turned the
volume up and the cabin throbbed of course the car had
the best bass money could buy.
That s more like it, Mona said.
Hells yeah, Hanna answered.
As she navigated a sharp turn a little too quickly, some-
thing in the back of her mind made a ping.
It s not gonna be you.
Ouch.
Even Daddy doesn t love you best!
Double ouch.
Well, fuck it. Hanna pressed down on the gas and nearly
took out someone s dog-shaped mailbox.
We ve got to go somewhere and show this bitch off.
Mona put her Miu Miu heels up on the dashboard, smearing
bits of grass and dirt on it. How bout Wawa? I m jonesing
for some Tastykake.
Hanna giggled and took another swig of Ketel One. You
must be super-baked.
I m not just baked, I m broiled!
181
They parked crookedly in the Wawa lot and sang, I like
big BUTTS and I cannot lie! as they stumbled into the store.
A couple of grubby delivery guys, holding 64-ounce cups of
coffee and leaning against their trucks, stared with their
mouths open.
Can I have your hat? Mona asked the skinnier of the
two, pointing to his mesh ball cap that said WAWA FARMS.
Without a word, the guy gave it to her.
Ew, Hanna whispered. That thing is germy! But Mona
had already put it on her head.
In the store, Mona bought sixteen Tastykake Butterscotch
Krimpets, a copy of Us Weekly, and a huge bottle of Tahitian
Treat; Hanna bought a Tootsie Pop for ten cents. When
Mona wasn t looking, she shoved a Snickers and a pack of
M&M s into her purse.
I can hear the car, Mona said dreamily as they paid. It s
screaming.
It was true. In her drunken haze, Hanna had activated the
alarm on the keychain. Oops. She giggled.
Hooting with laughter, they ran back to the car and slid
inside. They stopped at a red light, heads bobbing. The
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]