Free Out of Reach by Missy Johnson Page B

before.” He shook his head, his eyes clouding over. “We had some good times, didn’t we?”
    I nodded. We had. The best times. When the three of us got together, anything could—and usually did—happen.
    “I might just go and check on him,” I said, getting up. I walked back inside and made my way to his room. Every time I walked down that hallway a knot formed in my stomach. Seeing him only reminded me how sick he really was.
    I pushed open the bedroom door. He was still sleeping. Quietly, I crept around to the side of the bed and pulled back the covers, climbing in next to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist. He stirred, mumbling incoherently. I reached down for the second blanket that lay at the foot of the bed. He was so cold.
    Covering him, I gently rubbed along his arms, trying to warm him up. His breathing—shallower and faster than usual—was beginning to sound congested. I hope he’s not getting a cold.
    I laughed bitterly, the irony of my thought hitting me. He’s dying of cancer and I’m worried about him getting a cold.
    The all too familiar pang of anxiety began to consume me. No. Focus on good thoughts. Do it for him. Sitting up in the bed, I opened my notebook and began to write.
    First day at Delton Middle School, January 2000
    Starting a new school halfway through the school year sucked. Especially when the teacher decided it would be all sorts of fun to make you stand at the front of the room and talk about yourself. I was sure she got pleasure out of watching my discomfort.
    “Uh, hi,” I began, rubbing my sweating palms together. “I’m Emily Callington. We just moved here from Los Angeles. My dad is a police officer and we move around a lot.”
    Apparently this was where we were settling down. Why did it have to be here, in a town where I knew nobody? What was wrong with L.A., where all my friends were?
    I moved to sit down. The teacher put her hand up to stop me.
    “Tell us something about you, Emily.”
    About me? My heart thudded so loudly it was all I could hear as I struggled to think.
    “I like the Gilmore Girls ,” I offered, my voice small. The class sniggered. “I also like N*Sync.” More laughter. The teacher nodded, excusing me.
    I practically ran to the only vacant seat as the teacher continued with the class. Everyone was staring at me. I slumped down into the corner seat in the back row, my heart sinking. This place sucked. I was going to hate it; I could just tell.
    At lunchtime, I sat by myself outside the cafeteria, only because eating inside meant eating alone and having everyone talk about me. At least out here I could pretend I was invisible. I opened my lunch bag and pulled out my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
    “Hey.”
    I looked up. Two boys were standing in front of me. I recognized them from my class. I smiled shyly. What did they want? Knowing my luck, they were here to make fun of me. Because I needed my life to be more difficult right now.
    “I’m Andy.” The dark-haired boy flopped down on the bench opposite me. “That’s Seth.” I smiled at the other boy, who smiled back. My heart fluttered as I took in his light-brown hair and blue eyes. He was cute, and the awkwardness he had about him made him even cuter.
    “I’m Emily.” But they already knew that.
    “You want to hang out with us?” asked Andy. I nodded. They seemed nice, and it beat eating alone. I gathered up my lunch and followed them inside.
    “Over there — they are the kids that think they’re better than everyone. Try to avoid them.” Andy glanced around. “And those kids are the weirdos. That’s probably where you would’ve ended up if it wasn’t for us.” He smirked, his dark eyes full of humor.
    “You two seem pretty weird to me,” I shot back. Seth laughed as Andy narrowed his eyes at him.
    “What? She’s right.”
    Andy turned back to me. “If you’re going to hang out with us, you have to follow a few rules.”
    I crossed my arms across my chest .