Page 119 of Stealing for Keeps
“Oh please. You fall this far from perfection, and you act like you’re some kind of sad case.” She holds her thumb and pointer finger an inch apart. “You’re Austin Keller, golden child, adored and beloved by all. Mom can’t even look you in the eye because she feels so bad she grounded you.”
Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. I’ve gotten in trouble from Mom plenty of times. Not as many as Torrance, but I’m much better at not getting caught than her.
“We moved halfway across the country so you could follow your dreams, but what about the rest of us? I gave up my friends, my swim team, the sun! It’s not even November yet, and it’s freezing outside!” She yells like I personally ordered winter weather to ruin her life. “And it’s not just me. Wyatt has reverted back to sleeping in Mom’s bed at night, Dad’s never around, and it’s all your fault.” Her eyes are filled with tears when she’s done.
I do feel bad that they all had to give up things to move here. I don’t take that lightly. But what she did was still shitty.
Her voice softens, and a fat tear rolls down her cheek. “You have no idea what it’s been like for me here. I’m anobody. No, worse than that. I’m Austin Keller’s little sister. In Arizona, people knew me before you became this bigsoccer star, but here the only thing people know about me is that I’m related to you. I was so excited when Sophie started talking to me, acting like she wanted to be my friend. But it was only because she likes you.”
“I’m sorry. That was shitty of her.” It’s hard for me to wrap my head around someone being that cruel for such a dumb reason.
“And this guy in my homeroom invited me to a hockey game, and then when I got there, he kept bugging me to introduce him to you, and when I wouldn’t, he called me a bitch and left.”
“I didn’t know it was that bad for you,” I admit. And just like that, I have someone I hate more than her. “Who is he?”
“I’m not telling you.”
The hurt in her eyes is so raw that I can barely look at her.
“Look, Tor, that guy is an asshole. Being my sister is the least cool thing about you. Especially right now.”
She laughs a little between sobs.
“People just need time to get to know you.”
“How?” A little of that whine continues in her voice. “I’ve had the same friends since elementary school. I’m not a soccer god or dating the most popular girl in school.” She sniffles. My anger dissipates slowly as I watch her break down.
“Yeah, well, neither am I anymore.”
Judging by the surprise on her face, I’m guessing it hasn’t spread around school yet. “You broke up with Claire Crawford?” My sister looks at me like I’m the biggest idiot on the planet.
Maybe I am, but not for the reason she’s thinking.
“No. She broke up with me.”
“Oh.” Again, she seems taken aback by that. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ll bet.” I understand her frustrations and hurt, but I’m still upset about what she did. Maybe it all would have gone down the same way regardless of when and how we told people, but she took that option away for the sole purpose of being cruel.
“I am.” She looks pained to admit it. “I’m really sorry. I was just so mad. We moved here, and everything is different. My friends back home are all moving on and forgetting about me, and everyone here already has their group or clique. It sucks.”
We’re both quiet. I’m still hurt by what went down, but I get it too. I’m not quite ready to tell her it’s all fine, because nothing feels fine.
When Mom comes out of her office and finds us in the kitchen, she looks between us, concern turning to interest.
“How do you guys feel about ordering pizza tonight?” she asks finally.
“Fine,” Torrance says.
I nod. “Sounds good.”
Mom gives us another assessing glance and then walks back out. Torrance seems like maybe there’s more she wants to say, but the moment is gone.
I look in on Wyatt as I pass his room. He’s shooting Nerf darts at a target on the wall, chattering happily to himself.
Once I’m in my bedroom, I grab my soccer ball and lie on top of my bed, staring up at the ceiling with the ball resting on my chest. A week ago, I was happier than I can ever remember being, and now everything is so messed up. I know it’s not what she intended by confiding in me, butnow I’ve got Torrance’s problems weighing on me with all the rest of it. Try as I might, I can’t wish we’d never come here. That’d mean never meeting Claire or Rowan or Lacey, even Vaughn, and never working with Jude Collins.
I don’t know how long I lie there playing the last few months over and over in my head, but when Mom yells up the stairs, I have to shake myself out of my thoughts. I’m half-convinced I dreamed it, but then she yells again. “Austin, you have company.”
