Going Wild Read Free Page A

heard that line a thousand times. “But that doesn’t make me happy about it.” She brought some items to the pantry and pushed them around on the shelves, trying to make it look like what they’d had back home in Chicago. Her eyes stung.
    â€œAw, kiddo.” He put his hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “It’ll get better. I promise.”
    Charlie doubted it. “Maybe for you and Mom. But not for me.” She pushed past her father and blindly unloaded the rest of the groceries onto the counter, opening cupboard doors and closing them again, feeling completely lost as to where to put things. Then shegathered up the empty bags, trying to figure out how to recycle them when they didn’t even have a recycling bin yet. She smashed them together into a big ball. “This house is so stupid,” she said bitterly.
    Dad glanced sharply at Charlie, then his face grew sympathetic. But it was clear Charlie needed to blow off steam. “Just put all the cupboard food in the pantry for now and the refrigerator stuff in the refrigerator. We’ll sort it out later.”
    â€œFine,” said Charlie.
    Charlie’s father eased his way out of the kitchen so Charlie could bang around undisturbed. “I’ll be in my study getting ready for tomorrow,” he said.
    When the groceries were all put away, Charlie fled to her room.
    As she lay on her bed, Charlie fumed. She was furious at her mother for making them move here. Dr. Diana Wilde had been offered an amazing job as head of the emergency room at the hospital in Navarro Junction. It was an opportunity she would’ve never had in Chicago—or so she repeated about fifty times a day to all their friends, neighbors, and relatives back home. The ER here was understaffed, and she’d be working a really crazy schedule, but the commute was only ten minutes—and she could even take the bus so they wouldn’t need to buy a second car. She was so pumped up about it that Charlie didn’t think she’d even noticed how unexcited her own daughter was about this “great” opportunity.
    And her father was messing things up, too. He accepted a position teaching biology at the nearby community college, filling in the rest of the school year for a professor who was taking a leave of absence. So he was excited to work outside the home again for the first time in a long time. Charlie felt like all her lifelines were being taken away at once.
    After a while of moping, Charlie heard Andy and her father talking, but she couldn’t make out the words. When curiosity got the best of her, she slid off the bed and found them in her father’s study. Dad was on the floor under his mahogany desk, setting up his computer. Andy was sitting on the desktop, plugging in the speakers.
    â€œIf you’re teaching tomorrow,” Andy was saying, “who’s bringing us to school?”
    Charlie leaned against the doorframe, wondering the same thing.
    â€œMy first class starts at nine. I’ll drop you off on my way. I’ve got time to go inside at both schools, so don’t sweat it.”
    â€œThat’s okay,” said Charlie coolly. “I’m good.”
    Dr. Wilde looked up from under the desk. His hair had fallen forward. “All right, suit yourself.”
    â€œYou’re going in with me,” said Andy. “I don’t know how to get anywhere.”
    â€œWe took a tour,” said Charlie disdainfully. “How can you not remember?”
    â€œI wasn’t really paying attention. I was looking at the kids.”
    On Charlie’s tour she’d tried not to make eye contact with anybody—but they were all staring at her. “Well, no wonder, you goof.” But Charlie’s confidence faltered as she tried to remember exactly how her campus was laid out. Everything was muddled.
    Andy turned back to his dad. “Are you going to be home after school like