The Year I Became Isabella Ande - Jessica Sorensen Page 0,12
friend I was stalking him, and that was the last time we walked home together.
“My advice was actually about your sister,” Kai says, breaking the silence between us. “I was going to say you need to do something to get her to leave you alone. You’ve put up with her shit for too long.”
I stuff my hands into the pocket of my hoodie. “When you say ‘do something to get her to leave you alone’, are you talking like mafia-style? Or like how Penny Milerford got Nora Benninting to leave her alone by punching her in the face? Because I’m not a mobster, nor a crazed honor roll student who may or may not be on crack.”
“Penny isn’t on crack. That’s just a stupid rumor.” His expression hardens as he backs away from the fence. “People need to stop spreading shit around about other people, just because they think something’s wrong.” He starts up the porch stairs, and I figure our conversation is over until he stops in front of the door and turns around. The intensity pouring out of his eyes startles the crap out of me, because he never directs that kind of look on me. With me, it’s always joke-this or joke-that. Look at me. I’m so funny and cute. Yada, yada, yada. “And, Isa. I meant for you to do whatever you feel you need to do to get her to stop treating you so shitty. Stand up for yourself, okay? She’s not any better than you, no matter what she thinks.” His crazed look softens.
“Since when are you so anti-Hannah? You used to flirt with her all the time.”
That’s the thing with both Kyler and Kai. While Kyler is mostly nice to me, and Kai spends a lot of time teasing me, neither of the guys have shown me the attention they’ve shown Hannah. Over the years, particularly when we all got in high school, both of them have spent a ton of time flirting with her and her friends, checking her out, and trying to get her attention.
“I only flirt with her when I’m bored,” Kai says, seeming bored right now. “But I get that she’s a bitch. And I haven’t liked her since I . . .” He trails off, but I know what he’s going to say. Since I went off the deep end and went all bad boy. “But anyway, have fun on your trip.” He winks at me, going from serious to joking in two seconds flat. “And bring back something super cool for your most awesome, super sexy next door neighbor.”
“Huh? Who am I supposed to bring the present back for?” I glance around, pretending to be confused.
His eyes narrow to slits, but he grins. “You know exactly who I’m talking about. The guy who fills up all of your dreams.”
“You mean Johny Palerson?” I feign innocence.
He snickers. “I forgot about your little seventh grade crush on that douche.” He pauses. “You’re still not into him, are you?”
“I’m more into him than my cocky neighbor next door,” I quip with a sassy smirk.
His eyes darken as he backs away from me. “You know, if you bring me back a present, it means that’s not true. That you do really like me.” He winks at me again and walks into the house before I can get another word out.
His advice echoes in my head.
He may joke around a lot with me, but when he gets all serious, he actually gives pretty good advice.
I make a vow to myself right then and there that when I get back from this trip, things will change. I’m not sure how it’s going to happen, but if I can survive seventeen years of being picked on, I sure as hell can figure out a way to finally make it stop.
I’M STILL TRYING to create an awesome plan on how to get Hannah to respect me, when my dad returns to the car.
“Ready?” he asks me as he fishes the keys from his slacks.
Nodding, I hop into the passenger seat.
My thoughts remain stuck in Awesome Plan Land for most of the thirty-minute drive across town. The only time the quietness is broken is when we stop at the drive-thru to get ice cream like my dad promised, and he asks me what flavor I want.
By the time we pull up to the Sunnyvale Bay Community, I’m still lost on how to make Hannah see me differently. It doesn’t seem possible, considering I’m basically trying to