The Charlotte Chronicles Read Free Page A

a big adventure for us.”  Mom is using her Let me explain to you why Freedom Funds is the best hedge fund in the world voice. Irritating much?
    “You can stop talking to me like I’m some prospective client. I’m not leaving North Prep. Last year sucked because I was a freshman, but I’m a sophomore now. I have status!”
    “Don’t say suck,” Mom says automatically, without any real force behind it. She is too busying staring at Dad.  They’ve developed this technique where they can communicate with each other just by looking. No words.  I’ve seen Aunt Grace and Uncle Noah do it too. Sometimes the looks they exchange make me feel uncomfortable, like I’m seeing something private I shouldn’t be looking at. But it’s like the sun, and I can’t look away. I want to have that kind of connection. I’ve decided that’s the sign you’ve found your one true love.
    It’s never worked with Nate. I tried it once when he started seeing Yolanda from school. Yolanda was a senior last year. Older girls have always had a thing for Nate. I don’t get it. Why don’t they stick with the guys in their own grade and leave Nate alone? 
    Yolanda was always touching him. I’d see her run her hands down the side of his arm or over his back or sometimes even around the waistband of his jeans. I thought it was disgusting how she pawed at him, and I glared at him one day trying to tell him silently how gross it was, but he just stared at Yolanda with a stupid grin on his face. So even if I thought Nate was my one true love, he doesn’t return my feelings. He’s too busy sleeping with all the seniors.  Like Yolanda.
    When Yolanda left for college, I was thrilled but her place was quickly taken by another senior girl. Plus there’s this girl who lives downstairs from us who’s in college, and she’s always looking at him like he’s a side of beef and she hasn’t eaten in a year. I haven’t seen Nate give her the stupid grin, so it seems safe to assume that they aren’t doing it.  Yet. I asked Nick once if he thought his brother was hooking up with the girl downstairs, and Nick gave me this weird look and told me that he wasn’t going to talk about stuff like that with me.
    Dad clears his throat, and I do a mental fist pump. That Dad is talking and not Mom means I won this round. “We’ll take it a day at a time. If North Prep gets too much for you, the Switzerland idea is still available.”
    Mom leans over and gives me a kiss on my forehead. Her lips are trembling like she is trying not to cry, and I just don’t understand what she is so upset about. How could North Prep be too much for me? All my friends go to North Prep. Nothing bad could happen to me there.

5
Nathan
    “ O h , Nate! What’re you doing here?” Aunt AnnMarie comes around Charlotte’s empty hospital bed. AnnMarie isn’t really my aunt. Charlotte isn’t my sister. Our families have been one forever, though. I hold out my books and give her a confused look. I’ve been coming every night after football practice for the past week. What does she think I’m doing here?
    “I’m here to study,” I say. “And hang out. Where is everyone?” I look around but don’t see Nick or Charlotte. Aunt AnnMarie places a hand on my elbow and starts moving out of the room, but I pull back. “Where’s everyone?” I repeat.
    She doesn’t give me a direct answer. Instead, she tightens the grip on my arm. For some reason she wants me to leave. I’m several inches taller than her and probably a hundred pounds heavier. My height and weight make it impossible for most people to move me when I’m refusing to follow them. Aunt AnnMarie is no different. She turns to me and places her hands on her hips.
    “You were so much easier to manage when you were a child, Nate.”
    “But not as cute, right?” I wink at her because even though she looks a little exasperated with me now, I know she loves me.
    “No, you were pretty darn cute as a baby.” She sighs