Canary (11 page)

“Exactly,” Brett said. “These people wouldn't hesitate to pretend to be your friend if they could get something out of it.”

“Well, what's so bad about that? My real friends aren't like that, and maybe I'm getting something out of the other relationships too.”

I knew Brett didn't like to hear that, but it was true. I wanted to be a part of Beacon just as bad as some of them wanted to hang out with the new coach's daughter.

Brett shoved his key into the car door. Unlike the rest of Beacon students, we didn't have a new car. In fact, we didn't even have power locks or windows.

I waited for him to pop my lock. I climbed in and fastened my seat belt. “I get that you don't like some of the people I'm hanging out with.”

Brett stared straight ahead.

“Ali and Jenna can be a bit much sometimes,” I said, “but I trust them.”

Brett started the engine and drove down the hill. The leaves had fallen from the trees. It would soon be November. We'd been at Beacon for over two months.

Keeping his eyes on the road, Brett said, “You need to be careful. Make sure you don't become Dad, kissing up to people who don't care an ounce about you and only want to benefit themselves.”

“I won't. Just because I'm hanging out with a new group of friends doesn't mean I have to be like them. I'm not going to make stupid choices. I'm the same old Kate.”

“Just make sure you don't lose yourself.”

“I won't,” I said firmly.

“It's just that you're not so bad for a sister, and I'd hate to see that change.”

“Not bad for a sister, huh? I think my brother likes me.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I mean.”

I put my head against the seat and grinned. I did know what he meant, and it felt good to be reminded he was the same old Brett.

www.allmytruths.com

Today's Truth:

To ensure success, please follow
instruction manual exactly.

PROPER CARE AND HANDLING

OF A BEACON BASKETBALL PLAYER BOYFRIEND

Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of a Beacon boyfriend. We want to thank you for choosing Beacon as the place to select your boyfriend and for upgrading to the Beacon basketball player boyfriend. Well done. Your superb selection will benefit you in many ways. Make sure you read all the instructions to ensure the proper care and handling of your
Beacon basketball player boyfriend. Enjoy!

CONTENTS

Your Beacon basketball player boyfriend comes with the following items:

• Weekends that are never empty. You will have parties, games, dances, and double dates to fill your nights.
  
• Compliments. You will have girls telling you every day that they like your hair, jewelry, makeup, and anything else different from the same plaid skirt and white blouse every girl in your school wears.
  
• Access to tables far away from the lunch tray return and garbage cans in the cafeteria, next to the large picture windows overlooking the campus. Seats in the back of the classroom, in a spot where you can hide your phone when you're texting and you don't have to sit next to boys who don't seem to know whatdeodorant is and girls who raise their hands every ten
  seconds.
  
• Friends who vacation on islands in houses their families own and drive cars that cost more than the total of the three cars your dad has ever owned.
  
• Teachers who know your name and who you are dating and will comment on the points your Beacon basketball boyfriend made during a recent game when they should be teaching.
  
• A secret excitement that people envy you, people want to be you because of who you are with, because you are the one your Beacon basketball player boyfriend picked.
  
• A power that will put you at the top of the ladder at school, allowing you to tower over your classmates as you begin to rule aside a Beacon basketball player and the rest of the basketball team and their girlfriends.
  

INSTRUCTIONS

The proper care and maintenance of your Beacon basketball player is of the utmost importance if you want to continue to own him. Please follow the
instructions below carefully:

• Keep him supplied with kisses, hugs, caresses.
  
• Be ready for sex. It's expected when you are with a Beacon basketball player.
  
• Eat lunch with him.
  
• Attend all his practices and games.
  
• Do not talk to other boys at the school if he is not around.
  
• Maintain a perfect appearance. You should stay fit, make sure your hair and makeup are always fresh, and keep up on the current
  clothing styles.
  
• Maintain a happy attitude, even if you feel sad. Smile and laugh often. Let him know life is perfect for you when he is around.
  
• Agree to what he wants to do, be where he wants to be, watch what he wants to watch, and become interested in things that interest him.
  
• Remember constantly how lucky you are to have acquired a Beacon basketball player boyfriend.
  

WARNINGS

The following negative side effects may result from dating a Beacon basketball player. Please contact your best friend if any of the following
occurs often in your relationship:

• Others may try to steal your Beacon basketball player boyfriend.
  
• Others may be jealous of your new Beacon basketball player girlfriend status.
  
• People may try to use you for purposes of
  personal gain.
  
• Your Beacon basketball player boyfriend may demand a large amount of your time.
  
• Your Beacon basketball player boyfriend may start to lose interest in you if you do not treat him properly.
  

BEACON BASKETBALL PLAYER BOYFRIEND
INTERACTIONS

Having a Beacon basketball player boyfriend might interact with the following character traits:

• Morals
  
• Common sense
  
• Good judgment
  
• Ethics
  
• Principles
  
• Values
  

You may start to lose the person you once were as you date your Beacon basketball player boyfriend, but if you follow the directions above carefully, you will transform yourself as a Beacon basketball player girlfriend.

PLEASE SEEK EMERGENCY HELP IF your Beacon basketball payer boyfriend decides to no longer be with you.

EXPIRATION DATE

As long as you can properly care for your Beacon basketball player boyfriend, there is no reason this relationship should expire.

Posted By: Your Present Self

[Thursday, October 17, 4:03 PM]

After Brett challenged my friendships at Beacon, I made sure I didn't have to depend on him to get home anymore.

I started to hang at Ali's house while she babysat, and it was a lot better than my place, where Brett would sulk around, giving me dirty looks whenever I came into the room.

Ali's home was the complete opposite of my empty and quiet house. The moment you entered her place, your ears rang with shouts, jokes, and name-calling coming from every room. Ali along with her mom, dad, older brother, and sister made five. If you wanted to get specific, you could also add the two labs and the goldfish to make seven. I loved hanging out at Ali's.

The day after I got into it with Brett, I headed to Ali's after school to study with her.

Ali's five-year-old sister, Heather, cracked the door open and belted out an enthusiastic, “Hi.”

The two dogs stuck their panting faces out the door. I helped Heather hold onto them while I walked into the house.

Heather grabbed my hand. “We have a hamster at school, and Mom said if I keep my room clean I can bring it home for a weekend. We're allowed to do that, you know.”

“Wow, sounds fun.” The dogs ran circles around me and didn't calm down until I gave them a proper hello. I bent to pet them, and they covered my face in drooling kisses.

“I'm not sure Jack would like you kissing someone else,” Ali joked, walking into the room. She'd changed out of her uniform into white yoga pants and a Beacon hoodie. Her hair was pushed back in a headband.

“Yeah, well, he's going to have to fight these two off if he wants to get to me.”

Ali grabbed my bag and steered me through the chaos of her house: blocks all over, a jump rope hanging from the banister, water guns and a headless doll on the floor. We walked into the kitchen.

“Let's sit in here. My mom said she'd order pizza for dinner.”

The kitchen was my favorite room in Ali's house. Her mom loved to cook, and the kitchen was the center of everything. It was one of the biggest rooms, with an open cooking area on one side, a huge old wood table with benches and chairs, and my favorite part: a fireplace. I'd never met anyone with a fireplace in their kitchen. It was between the kitchen and the living room, open to both sides. The kitchen was so big that two comfy chairs fit next to the fireplace. Everyone hung out in there while Ali's mom cooked. They'd do their homework at the table, read in the chairs, or lounge around the island and talk.

We worked on our homework for an hour when my phone vibrated. I checked the screen. “Jack.”

“Answer it. I don't mind.”

“I'll call him back later. It's no big deal.” I went back to reading a passage of my book and writing notes on what I thought it meant, notes that were most likely the opposite of what it really did mean.

“Pick it up. You know he can't live without you.”

I grabbed the phone and walked into the hallway. “Jack?”

“Where have you been?”

“I'm at Ali's, finishing my English assignment. I told you I'd be here tonight.”

“Can you get away?”

“Not really. I have to get this done.”

“I need your help. My essay questions for history are a lot harder than I thought.”

“We can go over them at lunch.” I rolled my eyes at Ali, who was watching me now.

“It's due 
tomorrow
,” he said.

“Tomorrow?” I tried not to sound angry. “Why do you leave this stuff until the last minute?” I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples with my free hand.

“I thought I could do them, but I can't. I need your help. Please? I'll come to your house. Just for a little bit.”

“Okay. I'll leave in twenty minutes. Give me some time to get home.”

“Thanks, Kate—”

“I'm the best.”

“You are.”

“I'll see you in a little bit.”

I hung up and turned to Ali. “Jack needs help with his history assignment that's due tomorrow. He thought it would be okay to put it off until tonight.”

“So what else is new? That boy can't live without you,” she joked, but I caught a bit of an edge in her voice. This wasn't the first time Jack had called, and I'd left Ali because of something he needed.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. He says he doesn't understand it, but how much do you want to bet all he's done is put his name on the paper?”

“Yeah, first name only. If it asked for the last, he'd need your help too.”

I closed my book and collected my stuff. “You're right. Where would he be without me?”

“Without you and everyone else who helps him?” Ali smirked.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“My guess is Jack and the rest of the team would be warming the bench quite nicely if their playing time depended on their own work. Now he's got you doing his dirty work too.”

“I'm not doing it for him.” For a second, Brett's comment in the car flashed in my mind. I pushed it aside. My friends weren't using me.

“He just called, and now you're running right over there.”

“To help him. Like I was helping you.” My tone was hard. It was obvious what Ali was getting at, and I wasn't letting her get away with it.

“Okay, okay, call me later if you want.”

“If I have time. I may be too busy 
working
 with Jack.” I didn't wait to see if she took it as a joke or a dig.

Jack and I never got to his homework that night. Dad stayed late at Beacon with the other coaches, and since Brett was somewhere with Julia, we had the house to ourselves.

We made out for over an hour. Neither of us wanted to separate. We were wrapped up in each other, all hands and feet and lips. I told myself this was the way it should be. This was Beacon. This was happy. This was my life.

It was getting late, and Dad would be home soon. I knew Jack should go. We'd pushed the time limit, but I didn't want him to leave. Not yet.

“You don't have to worry,” I said, rolling over and trying to wrap my arms around him, although he was already pulling his shirt on.

“Your dad would kill me. It's almost the start of basketball season. I'm supposed to be focusing on the game, not the coach's daughter.”

“It's okay. Seriously, he wouldn't know you're here even if he comes home. He'll lock himself in his office.”

“Right. I'm upstairs in his daughter's bedroom while he's not here, and he wouldn't think it was a big deal?”

“Really, he doesn't care.”

Jack fished around for his cell phone, which neither of us could find. “Damn it, where the hell did it go? I need to get out of here.”

“It's okay. We'll find it. It's gotta be somewhere in here.”

We pulled pillows off the bed, shook out the comforter, and made a bigger wreck than we'd started with. I purposely tried to bump against Jack, giggling each time we touched.

A door slammed downstairs, and Jack froze.

“Shit,” he whispered. “That's why I didn't want to stay.” He grabbed the rest of his stuff, pushing my arm away when I tried to help. “Let me figure this out.”

Jack raked his hands through his hair, messing it up in the sexy way that drove me crazy.

“Relax. It's okay.” I put my hand against his chest to stop him. “Wait. You'll see. Trust me.”

We both looked at the door when we heard someone coming up the steps.