Free Collide: A Riverbend Novel by Sara Daniell Page B

watched as he spoke quietly to
her. I tried with great difficulty not to throw my cereal at
him.
     
    "Reese, would you like to
go shopping with me today?" Mom asked.
     
    Reese picked her head up.
"I'd actually get to go?"
     
    "Of course." Mom was taken
back by what Reese said. "Have you not ever been
shopping?"
     
    Reese shook her head
no.
     
    "You're not missing
anything." I took another bite.
     
    "I guess I'll go hang out
with dad," Garrett said then he and dad exchanged a high five. My
family was so annoying. Everyone looked at me.
     
    "Us or them," Reese said
not giving me much of a choice.
     
    "I'm gonna stay here. Veg
in front of the TV or something non-productive."
     
    "Loner," Garrett
coughed.
     
    Mom cut her eyes at him.
"Be nice."
     
    "But why would you want to
be alone?" Reese asked confused.
     
    "I don't answer personal
questions this early in the morning."
     
    Reese frowned at me, shook
her head, and then stood. "I'm going to go check my sugar." She
smiled at Mom then went to her room.
     
    “Do you have to always act
like that?” Mom asked as she fixed her coffee.
     
    “Like what?”
     
    "Like you're some big
mystery to the world."
     
    I stood. "I'm going to take
a shower."
     

 

     
    REESE
     
    I looked at myself in the
full length mirror. I was in an off white knit knee length sweater
dress and black tights. To top it off, I also had on some high
heeled black boots. I tugged at the dress until Mrs. Johanna came
up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders.
     
    "Beautiful! I'm buying it
for you!"
     
    "You don't have too," I
said as I blushed. I liked the outfit a lot, but I didn't want her
to waste her money on me.
     
    "Yes I do! You can wear it
when we go out to dinner tonight!" She giggled excitedly and shooed
me back into the dressing room to take it off so she could buy
it.
     
    I changed back into my
clothes and handed the clothing and boots to Mrs. Johanna. I had
some money that the judge had released to me. Not a lot, but enough
to get some new art supplies. "May we go to the art supply store
down the street?" I asked as she bought the outfit.
     
    "Sure."
     
    I had enjoyed being with
her today. We walked out of the store and down the street. "Thank
you."
     
    "You're so very welcome,
dear. It's nice. I've always been surrounded by boys." She looped
her arm through mine as we walked.
     
    "I like being with you.
It's like having a mom," I said quietly. I blushed when she looked
at me. "Sorry. That was probably inappropriate."
     
    Tears filed her eyes. "No,
I'm glad you did." She wiped her eyes. "I knew your mom. She would
have been so proud of you."
     
    "I miss her. I don't
remember her a lot, but what I remember is home. After she died,
the house wasn't a home anymore. It was cold." I shrugged and wiped
the tear that fell down my cheek.
     
    "She adored you. Her and I
were actually best friends in school. Then life happened and we
drifted apart." She smiled softly. "You look so much like she did
at your age."
     
    "That's what dad always
says. I have pictures of her." I put hair behind my ears as we
walked. "Dad put them all away. I kind of got some from him without
him knowing." My shoulders sagged. "I love my dad. We have had our
problems, but I’m his baby girl." More tears fell down my cheeks.
"You don't think he's alive, do you?"
     
    "I sure hope he
is."
     
    I nodded. "Me too." I wiped
my tears with my free hand. "I don't understand everything he did
but I know he loves me."
     
    ~~~
     
    After a long day shopping,
I sat in front of Mrs. Johanna as she fixed my hair and put a
little bit of make up on me. After we were finished, we headed to
the restaurant where all three of the boys were supposed to be
waiting for us.
     
    I walked in and saw
Garrett, Havock, and Mr. Rick. I liked Garrett. A lot. But my heart
seemed to only speed up when Havock looked at me. Which was stupid
because he didn't even like me. He merely put up with me. Hell,
half the time I didn't like