Free Trust by Francine Pascal Page B

hadn’t said yes, either. Not exactly. He’d said that such a move would be complicated, but that they should have dinner again on Monday to discuss it further. Still, as far as Gaia was concerned, that was all the “yes” she needed. She was certain Oliver could handle whatever sticky legal matters would arise from getting the hell out of the Perry Street Penitentiary. Then her years of getting shuttled from one shitty foster home to another might finally be over.
    She glanced down at her watch. It was nearly midnight, but she wasn’t tired at all. Not in the least. Her brain was like a spinning wheel, imagining all sorts of future scenarios and conversations: “Oh, my uncle said he would take us . . .,” “My uncle gave me permission . . .,” “I’m meeting my uncle after school.” It was a dream, yet it was real. A new life was about to begin. She just had to share the news with someone.
    So she knew very well why her feet were leading her in this direction.
    They were taking her straight to Ed Fargo’s apartment.
    She needed to talk to someone about this, and she knew that Ed was the only one in whom she could confide. It was time to end their ridiculous argument — or whatever it was. So Ed had spent some time with Heather. Big deal. Heather’s sister was in the hospital. Heather needed a friend, a real friend — not any of the regular, shallow, narcissistic FOHs. And Gaia knew that Ed was far too decent a guy to deny somebody his companionship. No, if anything, this whole week of weirdness had been Gaia’s fault. She’d been too caught up in her own problems to have any perspective. Which was typical. Gaia knew she could be a grade-A bitch.
    But now it looked like all her problems had been solved.
    Again she shook her head, reeling from it all. There were still so many things she needed to sort out. Was it really true that her father had engineered her mother’s death? Was that what Oliver was trying to insinuate? Just the mere thought of it filled her with nausea. But Oliver spoke so cryptically; it was hard to determine what was real and what wasn’t.
    She picked up her pace. She was sure Ed could help her figure this out. Ed always came through. Always.

Total Asshole
    â€œCOME ON, HEATHER.” ED GROANED. “You don’t have to do this. Really.”
    Heather refused to look at him as she yanked her coat out of the front hall closet. If she looked at him, she knew she would be overcome by remorse. And she had to hold her ground. It was his fault this night had turned into a disaster. Not hers.
    â€œSo now you’re giving me the silent treatment?” he teased.
    She scowled at him, trying to ignore how cute he looked with his hair disheveled and shirt rumpled. “Shut up,” she muttered.
    â€œWhat do you want from me?” Ed demanded.
    â€œI want you to get out of the past,” Heather replied. “It’s over. We’re living in January, of this year, right here, right now. Remember? There’s nothing either of us can do to change what happened.”
    Ed’s face darkened. “You’re right,” he murmured. “We can’t change it.”
    The accusing tone in his voice made her pause. She stared at him. His face was ashen.
    â€œWhat?” he demanded bitterly.
    â€œThat’s what this is all about,” she said in a broken whisper. “You still blame me. You blame me for the accident. You’ve never forgiven me —”
    Luckily, before she could start sobbing, something interrupted her. It was the sound of the buzzer.
    She and Ed exchanged a quick, confused glance.
    â€œI thought you said your parents weren’t coming home,” she mumbled.
    â€œThey aren’t ,” Ed said, looking vaguely apprehensive. Not that she could blame him. Either the person buzzing was his mom or dad — or there was a complete psycho downstairs. Or a burglar. The