Free Revolution by Shelly Crane Page A

             
                  He sighed. "I didn't. I couldn't stop staring at her freckles."
                  I laughed and he glared at me. "What?" I defended. "I remember being a babbling idiot once."
                  "Babbling idiot? What you mean by that?" he barked.
                  "You've got a thing for Rylee," I said slowly. "It's practically tattooed to your forehead."
                  He laughed, exaggeratedly. "Ha! Good one, Keeper. Me, like that red headed cactus? Nah."
                  "You sure are protesting a lot, Miguel." I loaded the last box in and slammed the doors shut, thankful that they shut without jamming from the full load. "She is pretty. Are you telling me she's not?"
                  "She's pretty enough."
                  "Pretty enough for what?"
                  "Someone else!" he barked and started t o walk away, but stopped. "Don't tell Sherry about this, ok?"
                  "Ok, Miguel. Your non-existent but totally there crush on the red head who wants to serve your spleen on a platter is safe with me."
                  He grinned. "Thanks, mate."
                  I laughed as he walked away and p ee led my sweaty shirt from my body. I threw it over the van top to dry hopefully. It was so hot, it should be criminal. I hoped that since the snow was gone that the new basement we were headed to w ouldn't be too hot to stay . We needed a break. We need one thing to go our way.
                  I looked over at Jeff and saw that his shirt was off, too, and he was yelling at Billing s to hurry up and quit 'lollygagging'. I'd n ever understood that expression.
                  I heard the radio start downstairs. The hatch door and store door were wide open so the sounds drifted to me with a slight echo. I heard Billings yell, "Yeah, Billy Joel! Abou t time you played something decent around here."
                  I had no idea who Billy Joel was, but it sounded nice enough.
                  No one had brought me any boxes in a while, even though the van was full, they didn't know that. I trotted through the door to see what was up. Rylee , Ryan, Miguel and Max were going at it about when we should leave.
                  Apparently, Max and Rylee were for waiting until nightfall, and Miguel and Ryan were trying to get them to understan d that we needed to go right then .
                  "Lickety-split!" Miguel yelled. "You really think they are going to give us the whole day to regroup and not try to ambush us before the da y's over? You're loopy ."
                  It sounded weird to hear the fighting over Billy Joel's cheerful words. " For the longest time. Whoa, for the longest time ."
                  Rylee yelled back. "You don't know anything about strategy!"
                  "Ginger, leave this to the big boys, ok?"
                  I felt my mouth open a little at the look she blazed his way. The steam coming from her ears wasn't even the worst part. She walked right up to him and grabbed his shirt front. "You listen here, buddy. I am not some little sweet girl to be tossed in the back with the women and children. I will wield a knife just like the rest of you." Her lip quivered a bit as she went on. "I deserve to earn my revenge, just like the rest of you."
                  Miguel caved, just like that. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. She put up a fight just for show. If she wanted to displace herself, she could've. "I told you, don't pity me."
                  He smiled down at her, and it was a smile I'd never seen on him before. I felt instantly like I was intruding, and judging by the awkward looks on Ryan and Max's faces, they agreed with me.
                  Miguel said