Free Bittersweet Sixteen (A Dodie Jenks Novel) by Lexi Witcher Page B

smug.
    “Old enough,” Leopold said.
    “What kind of an answer is that to a straight forward question?” Brody asked. “He asked your age. Do you have something to hide?”
    “He’s eighteen. Same as you.” I jumped in defending him.
    Brody cut his glare at me. “Keep quiet, Dodie. No one asked you to speak.”
    I opened my mouth to protest being treated like a child, but I held my tongue, not understanding what had gotten into my brother. Why was he acting this way? Could he still be peeved that I got to come live here with Grandma while he stayed at home and finished his senior year uninterrupted?  Would he change his tune if he knew I was about to die like poor Portia?
    “I have nothing to hide,” Leopold replied.
    “Then what makes you so special? Why are you her tutor? Shouldn’t you be in college?”
    “I graduated Summa Cum Laude over a year ago with a degree in Chemistry. I think that makes me more than qualified to tutor your sister in the area.”
    “What lively chatter!” Grandma exclaimed coming back into the dining room. “I could hear your voices across the house. What did I miss?”
    Brody pushed his chair back from the table and threw his napkin on his plate. “Nothing. I’m going to walk Anson home. I’ll be back.”
    The two got up from the table and left. Grandma looked at Leopold and me.
    “What’s wrong with Brody? He didn’t finish his food or stay for dessert.”
    I shrugged. “He’s angry that Leopold is here.”
    “Well, he can just get happy. This is my house and I can have whomever I want here,” she said, taking her place back at the table to finish her dinner.

 
     
    Chapter Thirteen
     
    Leopold declined going to church with us Sunday morning. He said he had to go home to take care of some things and pick up supplies for the upcoming week, but would be back in the evening. His departure made Brody happy. Even Anson appeared happier when we saw him at church and he found out Leopold was gone. He invited me to sit with them and Brody didn’t object.
    The other teens seemed to accept me better this week than last, but maybe that had something to do with Brody and Anson including me. Anyway, I didn’t feel like a third wheel which was a plus in my book. It also made me feel better about my choice in clothing. I’d ventured to wear a short plaid, pleated skirt and a cable knit sweater set with tights and loafers. Back home all the in-crowd girls wore outfits like that.  And when the group went to the soda fountain for lunch they asked me to come along.
    Anson and I sat at a two-person booth while Brody and the others crowded into a large, corner booth. I ordered the burger platter with onion rings and a malted milkshake. Anson got the chili dog special and a root beer float. When we finished our food we ordered a piece of Hershey chocolate cake with a large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to split.
    “Can I ask you a question?” Anson asked.
    I smiled. “You just did.”
    He grinned. “You know what I mean.”
    “Sure. Ask away.”
    “Why do you have a tutor instead of being enrolled at Franklin High?”
    “Well… I don’t know how long I’ll be here for one thing and Grandma thought it would be easier this way for another. I don’t have to go through being the new kid at school just to up and leave soon after I start. I’ve seen how new kids get treated who’ve moved to town. It’s not always nice.”
    “Yeah, but…you’re missing out on so much by being stuck in that house all day with the dark one.”
    I frowned. Did he just call Leopold the dark one? I didn’t find it funny at all, but decided to let it slide this once. “I’m not stuck anywhere. I want to be at Grandma’s and I can leave and go anywhere I want during the day as long as I finish my lessons first. I have much more freedom than you do at school.”
    “I still don’t understand.” Anson pulled a napkin out of the dispenser and began tearing it into shreds. “You’re missing