Giving Up the Ghost Read Free Page A

to say. She was practicing her ballet leaps across the sidewalk, her long brown braid flapping behind her.
    â€œHey, you!” she shouted as I approached. “How does my cabriole look? I’ve been working on it!”
    I grinned. “Awesome. Probably even more awesome if I actually knew what a cabby-whatever actually is.”
    She rolled her eyes and linked arms with me, panting slightly from all that jumping around. “Come on. We have to get moving! Do you realize you are actually late, missy? That might be a first for you.”
    â€œYeah, sorry. Lots of drama in the house this morning. Don’t ask.”
    She laughed. “Multiply that times five and you have my house this morning.”
    Lily had three brothers and a sister. And more cousins than I could count on my fingers and toes.
    â€œSo. We have to talk. About Saturday,” said Lily as we turned onto Ocean Grove Road.
    My heart sank. I hoped she wasn’t going to suggest having some huge birthday party for me.
    â€œWhat about Saturday?” I asked warily.
    â€œI was talking with Miranda and Avery,” she said, “and we were thinking about throwing a big party.”
    â€œOh, now, Lil, hold on. I don’t—”
    â€œFor Jayden.”
    That stopped me. I blinked at her.
    â€œOh! For . . . Jayden?”
    â€œYeah, because he’ll be leaving just after spring break, and I guess there’s no other time to have a going-away party before he leaves, because he has so many relatives to go see and stuff. So we thought Saturday would be the perfect night for it.”
    â€œUm, yeah. That sounds great,” I said.
    We walked in silence for a few minutes. The warm March breeze smelled salty and hinted at summer. The leaves were just starting to bud on the trees. I thought about Jayden. He’d told me he was moving to Atlanta when we were at the semiformal dance a few weeks back. Well, actually I’d read his thoughts first. And then he’d told me.
    Jayden was my first-ever boyfriend. My first-ever kiss. On the cheek, but still. No one knew about the kiss except Lily . . . and Jayden and I, of course. As first boyfriends go, I thought I had definitely won the coolest-first-boyfriend prize. He was really cute, with shaggy brown hair and big brown eyes. Skin the color of caramel. Athletic. Funny. Nice. And I didn’t feel shy when I was with him, which was how I usually felt with practically everyone else. He made me laugh. He seemed to genuinely like hanging out with me. So of course I was upset that he was leaving. Of course it made sense to throw a party. But still. It was a little confusing. Did Lily forget Saturday was my birthday?
    â€œIs there, uh, anything I can do? To help with the party?” I asked. I felt awkward asking. Like I was butting in or something.
    â€œNah, I think we’re all set,” she said. “It’s going to be at Scoops. Uncle Paul even said he’d close it for us specially, so we could have the place all to ourselves, which is pretty awesome.” She bounded down the sidewalk, skipping a square of sidewalk with every leap.
    â€œThat is awesome,” I agreed, trotting to catch up with her. We passed a bunch of closed storefronts. My backpack bounced uncomfortably on my back. It seemed to be a rule that all middle-school textbooks had to weigh at least ten pounds each.
    We walked in silence for a minute or so. Should I say something? I decided I would.
    I tried to make my voice sound as casual as I could. “Oh, and by the way, it’s, um, well, Saturday is my birthday. No big deal or anything, but just thought I’d mention it.”
    Lily stopped leaping, her arms windmilling so she wouldn’t fall forward. She smacked her brow and turned to me. “Oh. Jeez,” she said. “I totally forgot! I am the worst friend ever!”
    â€œNo, you’re not. Really, that’s fine,” I said quickly. And I