Wanderlost Read Free Page A

okay.”
    She wipes her nose with her sleeve, which honestly freaks me out more than her tears. I can’t remember ever seeing her the least bit out of control, and the Elizabeth I know would never walk around with snot stains on her shirt.
    Then again, it’s not like I really do know her that well. Everything about her is a mystery I’ve tried to crack from the time I was a toddler. How did she ride that two-wheeler so perfectly when my tricycle barely kept me upright? How did her cherry lemonade lip gloss stay on when mine tasted so good I licked it off in ten seconds? How did she get the cute lifeguard to watch her with interest every time she climbed the ladder to the diving board? How did she get the grades she got and still have time to be the president of every other club on campus when I could barely get myself to school before the late bell? Seriously, do we even share the same genes?
    But for now, the only mystery I want to solve is why she opened the door last night and why on earth she’d mouthed off even a tiny bit to an obviously power-tripping cop.
    â€œSo, what happened? I mean, I know what happened. But how did this happen?”
    She smears mascara across her cheek when she swipes at her eyes. Her breath hitches over a deep inhale and then she exhales slowly and says, “I screwed up.”
    In spite of the situation, I almost laugh. I would be willing to bet the entire contents of my room that she’s never uttered those words before.
    â€œYou didn’t screw up. That guy was Crazytown.”
    â€œObviously. But I should have recognized that and not antagonized him. Anyway, how would you know? You ran for the hills.” Oh. Somehow it hasn’t quite come out that I witnessed the whole thing from the pantry.
    â€œWell, it’s not like I knew you’d open the door.”
    â€œI was trying to cover your ass. I answered the door because I thought I could just smile and assure the officer we’d keep the noise down and your little shindig wouldn’t get busted. You said you wanted the party, so I was looking out for you !”
    And now there’s a knife of guilt lodged in my chest. I’m a little surprised too. Usually Elizabeth is wrapped up in her own things and doesn’t pay me much attention.
    â€œThanks,” I mumble, then I add, “Seriously, though, once you tell the judge your side of the story, he or she will have to see what a mistake was made.”
    â€œMaybe. The lawyer Dad hired definitely thinks so. He said it’s laughable how weak the case is. But it doesn’t matter, because either way the damage is done. I just can’t believe thatin the span of, like, ten seconds, all my dreams for my career are dead.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? You just said the lawyer will get you off. There’s no way you’ll end up with any permanent record or anything! You’ll be fine to start work on the campaign this fall.”
    Elizabeth has a grunt job helping a congressman with his reelection campaign, but we all know that’s just the start of things for her. Pretty soon she’ll be the one running for office and no one who knows her has the least little doubt about that.
    She sighs. “Chances are really good I can get the arrest expunged. But as for the job: nope. It all hinged on this tour guide gig this summer. When the congressman’s biggest donor asks him for his help finding a last-minute replacement guide and he chooses you, you don’t earn a whole lot of brownie points by skipping out on it at the last minute. The conditions of my bail mean I can’t even leave the state, much less head off to Europe. I don’t see how they could possibly find anyone else to replace me on such short notice. And if I leave his donor in the lurch, there’s no way Congressman Willard’s going to think I’m responsible enough to work for him. Honestly, if he even gets word of the arrest,