Page 148 - My FlipBook
P. 148

L IS A  J.  L A W R E N C E


             which explained the rushed check in the mail and lack of a
             note. What did it mean?

                                      W



             Ash tried to walk into their bedroom after school, but the door
             whacked against the dresser Greta had pushed in front of it,
             although Elgin hadn’t even spoken to her all afternoon. After

             she slid it aside to let Ash in, he gave her a look and asked,
             “Is there something I should know about Elgin, Greta?”
                She shook her head, flopping back on the air mattress.
             “Just being…careful.” Paranoid. When he didn’t look away,
             she added, “I feel safer when you’re around. By myself…” She
             didn’t finish the sentence. Her logical brain wasn’t scared of
             Elgin at all—an aging philosopher dressed as an eighties track             ADVANCE READING COPY

             star—but sometimes the other part took over.
                Ash closed the door and leaned back against it. “I dropped
             all my classes,” he said.
                Greta sat up, her hand sinking into the mattress and
             tilting the book shut. “You did what?”
                “I dropped my classes and joined yours. I’ll go with you.
             Every day.”
                “But you already took French. Those credits won’t count.”
                “Yeah, the guidance counselor seemed pretty annoyed.

             I told him I didn’t get a high enough mark the first time…and
             I want to be a French teacher.”
                Greta barked a laugh. Ash, a teacher? He mostly avoided
             kids. Humans in general. And schools. And speaking.



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