Free Memoirs of a Girl Wolf by Xandra Lawrence Page A

asked.
    “Maybe a little pinker,” I said again, surprised at myself. Usually, I liked my burgers very well done.
    She came to a stop before walking outside and turned to face me with a spatula in one hand and the plate of burgers in the other. “Medium-Rare?”
    “Yeah, like when you press down on it and the juices are red, you know?” I said.
    “Ewwww.” I heard my brothers say from behind me.
    She tilted her head to the side and studied me again with that worried expression. “Hmmm,” she hummed, before walking outside to begin grilling the burgers.
     
    At dinner they all watched me with disgust as I ate my burger. Red juice dribbled down my chin. Josh said the burger looked bloody, and I guess it grossed them out because they all only ate a couple bites of their burger. After seeing me devour mine in a few bites, they wiped their hands with their napkins and waited for cake.
    I didn’t care. My burger was delicious and why this was the first time I tried a medium rare patty, I don’t know, but I’d definitely be eating rare from now on.
    Mom dimmed the lights and stuck candles in a round cake. They sang Happy Birthday to me as she walked into the room and set the cake in front of me.  To Josh’s disappoint the cake was not strawberry with cream cheese frosting like he wanted, he had won the trash competition, but lemon: my favorite.
    “I knew your brother was blackmailing you so I went and got what I know you’d want,” Mom explained.
    “He wasn’t blackmailing me,” I said, staring apologetically at Josh.
    “Mickey threw away your pillow,” Josh accused.
    Mom looked at me with her mouth open in surprise.
    I deserved it, but I really wished Josh had waited to tattle.
    “Yeah, sorry, one of my friends I think kind of ripped the pillow and then there was stuffing everywhere and we had to throw it away,” I said, nervously.
    “Okay,” Mom sighed. “Okay, okay, first of all Josh don’t tell on your sister on her birthday, and second of all Mickey, I expect you and your friends to respect our home and our things, not destroy our things, okay? When I’m not here you are responsible for our home and I let you have friends over because I trust you, so don’t ruin anymore of my pretty pillows and you owe me a new one out of your allowance or birthday money Nana sent you, okay? Now, make a wish and blow out your candles because the wax is dripping on the cake,” Mom said.
    I shut my eyes; knowing I should wish for my date with Max to go well tonight, or for Max to ask me to be his girlfriend, or especially that Mom wouldn’t catch me sneaking out or into the house, but what I ended up wishing for was to see Reign again.
    I opened my eyes and blew.
    Mom cut and served the cake. I ate my slice quickly, once I noticed it was almost six o’ clock. After devouring the delicious lemon desert, I ran upstairs and into my bathroom where I dumped some make up essentials into my purse: lip gloss, eyeliner, mascara that I could use to touch up my face in the car, and then brushing my hair with my fingers I ran back down stairs and slowed my pace as I walked back up to Mom holding my stomach.
    “I’m gonna go to bed,” I said, frowning. “I don’t feel well after all.”
    Mom turned to me and felt my forehead with the back of her hand. “Okay, do you need anything? Soup? Sprite? I’ll come tuck you in.”
    “No,” I said. “No, it’s okay. I’m just gonna go to sleep.”
    “You’re tired?” she asked, biting her lip.
    “Yeah, I’m just gonna shut myself in my room and sleep maybe watch a movie if I can’t fall asleep.” Mom was always good at leaving me alone if I asked to be alone, so I knew she wouldn’t check in on me for a few hours. She’d only stick her head into my room on her way down the hall from saying goodnight to my brothers and because it was Friday that wouldn’t be until about ten and I figured I’d be back from my date by eight at the latest. I’d never gone on a date, so