Read Don't Fall for Free Online

anyone,” she explained. “Like, one is of a dog. A German shepherd. I can see him, kind of remember petting him, playing with him, but he could have belonged to the foster family I stayed with, or maybe I just saw him at a park one day.” She stopped and traced a circle on her leg with her finger, then she shrugged. “I don’t know really. It’s strange.”
    “That must be weird. Having memories you can’t explain, and no one who can explain them to you.” I couldn’t imagine what that must be like. Coming from a large family, there always seemed to be someone telling you about what you were like as a baby or little kid. Be it good or bad. Especially if it was bad.
    She wouldn’t have any record of her first words, first steps.
    She shrugged again. “It’s not a real big deal. I have lots of great memories since then. And new ones coming all the time.” She grinned, and my stomach did a somersault.
    I wanted to make new memories with her. The kind she’d never forget, whether I was still around or not. Although, I hoped to still be around. I hoped our memories from then on out would be connected, braided together like the crown on her head.
     
    Anya
     
    The picnic was perfect. I couldn’t believe he’d gone to so much trouble just for me. He took a little blue box tied with a white piece of string out of the basket.
    “What’s that?”
    “Dessert.” He untied the knot and lifted out a cupcake with pale pink frosting and a dark pink rose on top.
    “Oh, it’s almost too pretty to eat.” I peeled back the polka-dotted cupcake liner and took a bite anyway. It was delicious. Unbelievably, melt-in-your-mouth, I’d-never-tasted-anything-so-good-in-my-life delicious. “Oh my goodness, what flavor is this?”
    “Raspberry something. Bavarian cream, maybe? They are pretty good, huh?”
    “Pretty good? It’s amazing. Where did this fluffy piece of heaven come from?”
    He laughed. “They’re from the place downtown. Baby Cakes. Do you want mine, too?” He held out his cupcake, one bite missing, and looked at me with the same amused expression worn by children when they watch Winnie the Pooh eat honey. My cheeks warmed.
    “Um, no. That’s okay.” I looked down and licked the last bit of frosting from my pointer finger. “Baby Cakes? That’s so cute.”
    “You’re so cute.”
    My eyes flew up to meet his. Even though it was only the two of us there, part of me still needed to make sure it was me he was talking to and not, I don’t know, the cupcake or something. But he was looking right at me, smiling, eyes shining.
    “Um, thank you.” I quickly turned away again. I was not accustomed to beautiful boys telling me I was cute, and I had no idea what was an appropriate response. “You’re pretty cute, too,” I whispered, staring at the pile of books sitting next to me. He was silent. When I finally got up enough courage to look at him, he was grinning at me like the cat who caught the mouse.
    Then my phone rang. There was only one person who ever called me.
    “Hi, Mom.” I pressed the phone to my ear and scooched away from Zander. Before I could say anything else, she started to yell.
    “Where are you? What are you doing? You said you were at the library.”
    “I’m at the library,” I said slowly, wondering what had caused the freak out.
    “Anya, don’t you lie to me. I just called and talked to Shannon, and she said you weren’t there.”
    “You called to check on me?” I turned my body farther away from Zander and lowered my voice.
    “Well, apparently I have to. Now where are you?”
    “I am at the library, I’m just outside. I was taking pictures.” The lie came out smoothly, surprising me.
    “Go inside right now and let me talk to Shannon.”
    “Mom—”
    “Right now, young lady.”
    I turned to Zander and wrinkled my nose, giving him my best apologetic face. He gathered our little picnic and followed me wordlessly into the library.
    Shannon looked up from behind the