Part 21 (1/2)
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Janine said, ”You'll get to talk to him. I don't think Dr. Cuvo is coming back.”
”Why don't you think he's coming back?”
I saw that I was upsetting her more. She lay her head down on the table and started sobbing. I squeezed her hand gently.
”Okay. I'm sorry,” I said. ”Please don't cry. Janine. Please. I'm sorry.”
Janine sat up straight and wiped her wet cheeks. She picked up the drawing that Daniel had given to her, and laughed at it.
”He's so crazy,” she said with a giggle.
I looked down at the drawing. I expected to laugh with her, not scowl at it. But I felt that ball wanting to turn in my chest.
”Are you all right, Kristen?”
I snapped out of it and nodded my head to Janine.
”What's wrong?”
I faked a smile.
”Nothing. I like that. He can really draw.”
She shrugged and said, ”Yeah, he can draw. I'm going to go put this in the bedroom. Are you coming?” The fun and sweet Janine seemed to have come back.
”No,” I said. ”I have to wait for Dr. Pelchat.”
Janine waved to me and ran off with her drawing. I looked down at the table and saw the other drawings. Rocky grabbed the one of the donkey looking at Janine's b.u.t.t, and he walked off to his room.
CHAPTER 26.
Since the afternoon that John and I had talked together in the cla.s.sroom, I felt like John was avoiding me. I hardly saw him around anymore. When Lexus came over to visit one weekend when Jack was out of town, she told me that John had transferred to her school and that she had seen him around. That explained why I hadn't seen him at my school. That day, Lexus suggested that we call him and see if John would bring his little brother, James, over to play with Nicholas, since he did come over quite often for sleepovers, mostly when Jack had to go out of town on job a.s.signments.
Lexus shoved the cordless telephone into my hand.
”Call him and tell him to come over and play with us,” she excitedly requested.
I shrugged, dialed John's number, and waited for an answer while the phone rang. When the ringing stopped, I spoke into the phone.
”h.e.l.lo?”
”Yes? Who is this?” The squeaky voice on the other end answered. It was John's little brother, James.
”This is Kristen. Is John there?”
”Hold on. John, pick up the phone!”
”h.e.l.lo,” John's voice greeted me, from the other end of the line.
I felt a chill creep up my spine. He'd caught me by surprise.
I shook it off and said, ”Hey John. It's me, Kristen.”
”Hey! Kristen, I haven't talked to you in a while.”
”Where have you been?”
”Well, since I transferred schools, I haven't really talked to anybody.”
”Yeah? Why did you leave?”
”We're moving soon. My mom wanted me to get a jump on the school up there, so that I won't be too behind. But we aren't moving for a few more weeks, so I have to drive every day.”
”That sucks.”
”I know. Doesn't matter. It just sucks not getting to see everyone. James isn't going to like leaving his friends when we move.”
”Well, then, you should bring James over to hang out with Nicholas. They probably won't be able to see each other too often after you all move.”
John sighed, and then silence took over.
”Jack is out of town, working,” I added.
”I'll ask James if he wants to hang out with Nick. We'll see,” John said.
”Wait,” I said. ”Maybe we can all hang out too. My friend Lexus is here.”
”See you guys in about an hour.”
He hung up. I hung up, too, and looked over at Lexus, who had a pair of earbuds on, covering her ears. The earbuds blasted the tune of a familiar, upbeat melody. Lexus was lip-syncing to her favorite song. When she saw that I wasn't on the phone anymore, she removed the earbuds from her ears and smiled at me.
”So?” she inquired.
”So, what?” I asked.
”So... is he coming?”
I nodded with a wide smile.
”Oh! Look at you! You're all happy,” she teased.
I shrugged my shoulders, trying to appear nonchalant.
She raised one eyebrow at me and nudged me.
”Isn't he, like, your cousin, or something?” Lexus asked with a devious look on her face.