Free Is She for Real? by P.J. Night Page B

so Bethany continued.
    â€œI’ve been sleepwalking, and it’s really freaking me out,” she said. “Last night I wound up at the old Warwickhouse with the plaque. I don’t know how I got there.”
    â€œReally?” Nate looked right at her. Well, she certainly had his attention now. “That’s really weird,” he said. “Sorry that happened to you.” But then something in Nate seemed to shift.
    â€œIt’s just kind of frustrating,” he went on, looking down again. “You used to be different. Now it just seems like you’re mad at me all the time. You’re acting kind of crazy.”
    Bethany thought she couldn’t feel any worse than she had yesterday, but she suddenly reached a new low. That’s it, he’s breaking up with me , she thought over and over as she twirled the ring. He’s going to ask for the ring back, I just know it.
    â€œDo you want the ring back?” she asked softly. She could hear her heart beating in her ears.
    â€œNo, milady, I certainly don’t,” Nate said. He sounded pretty sure of himself, but Bethany was still wild with fear inside.
    â€œI just want you to stop acting so weird,” he added. “You have no reason to be acting like this.”
    He likes someone else , Bethany thought. Someone who doesn’t act so strange. He says he doesn’t want the ring back, butI’m sure he doesn’t want to be with me anymore. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “Just leave and go on a fishing voyage like you always do!”
    Nate gave her a long, hard, look. “Are you for real, Bethany?” he blurted out in anger.
    She stared back at him in stunned silence.
    But then he seemed to gain control over his emotions. He took a deep breath and in a much calmer voice said, “Actually, I did plan to go fishing with my friends today. Not on a voyage. Just to the pier, with Justin and Russ. Your friends are upstairs waiting for you.” And with that, he walked away, leaving the front door open for her to come in and meet up with Lissa, Lily, and Olivia.
    Bethany stood there for a minute before entering, trying to recover from the horrible exchange. She wanted to pull herself together before seeing her friends. She didn’t want them to think she was crazy too, like Nate obviously did. Then she would have no boyfriend and no friends. She really had to watch it. The ring is still on my finger , she tried to reassure herself. Which means we’re still officially together.

    â€œIt really is cool having your backyard be a beach,” Olivia was saying to Lissa as they walked onto the sand. They stopped near the crooked tree, which, Lissa explained to Bethany, was hundreds of years old and was always the site of the Sandy Lady ritual.
    â€œCool!” Bethany said, trying to act normally. She thought she’d done a pretty good job so far with her friends, who didn’t seem to notice anything was wrong.
    Then suddenly Lily said something to Bethany that made her freeze inside. “Look at me,” she said in a serious voice.
    Bethany looked at Lily, forcing herself to meet her friend’s eyes. Lily looked hard back at Bethany, staring into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity. She’s going to tell me I’m crazy , Bethany thought.
    â€œYour eyes look totally green,” Lily said.
    â€œWhat?” Bethany said. Now all three girls were examining Bethany’s eyes.
    â€œIt’s true,” Lissa said. “Your eyes are bright green! Maybe it’s the green shirt.”
    â€œOr the new summer sun!” Olivia said happily, oblivious to the fact that Bethany was feeling just the opposite of sunny.
    â€œMy eyes change color a little depending on the light and what I’m wearing,” Lissa said. “That’s probably what it is. They look really pretty. They match your shirt perfectly.”
    Okay, so my eyes look green , Bethany