Read Gifts and Consequences for Free Online

I graduate I won’t give up.
    But if my life hasn’t improved by the time graduation comes I refuse to keep playing a game that has been set against me for 17 years.  This life has never held anything for me and I feel like saying “I told you so.”  I never should have expected to be happy.
    If there is no one I can count as a friend and I have still never been on a date with a boy I will end it all before graduation.”
     
    That was nine months ago.  I am three weeks short of graduation.  I’m done holding my breath.  I’m done fighting with myself, trying to convince myself that I am worth anything.  I’ve proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that I’m no good.  Hannah Baker had TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY, I have more like a hundred.
    Tonight I dressed up for the first time in my life to go on a date.  My date stood me up, but I’ve received a better offer of a date with death, and I will go on a date if it kills me.
    My graduation date has arrived three weeks early.
     
    Lisa saved the document, but didn’t close it.  It no longer mattered.  She withdrew Buck’s pistol from the drawer in the computer desk, walked into the bathroom, and sat in the tub.
    Finally , she thought, pulling the shower curtain to the wall.  Finally .
    Her teeth clattered against the metal of the barrel in anticipation.  Like waiting for her turn on a roller coaster.
    Her breath echoed in her ears.  The gun was cold in her hands; the barrel smooth along her lips and tongue.  A metallic taste filled her mouth.  Lisa closed her eyes, drew in one last breath and put her thumbs against the trigger.
     

 
Chapter Eight
     
     
    Tyler O’Hara clicked his phone shut.  He would have forgotten the call if Lisa Halloway hadn’t yelled over the wind, “Who was it?”
    “Nobody,” he answered.  “It was nobody.”
    Forgot to call her.  Oh well.
    Lisa helped him forget about it by asking, “So where’d you really get the tickets?”  She held her straight blond hair in one hand.
    He answered, “I bought ‘em.”
    “Where did you get two thousand bucks?” she insisted.
    “OK, I found ‘em.”
    “Where?”
    “Someone gave ‘em to me.”
    “Who?”
    “A dude.”
    She slapped his arm playfully with her free hand.  “A ‘dude’ walked up to you and said, ‘Hey, how’d you like some free tickets to the most awesome concert in Buffalo history?’  Do you think I’m stupid?”
    He earned a harder slap by responding, “Do I have to answer that?” 
    The date was going perfectly.
    Acting as casual as possible he handed the parking lot attendant a crisp five dollar bill.  He always made sure the cash he spent on dates was crisp and new-looking, even if it meant a special trip to the bank.  He pulled into a parking spot and they joined the mass of people walking toward the arena entrance. 
    As they got closer to the ticket gate he and Lisa were jostled in the crowd.  He took her hand to lead her, thinking the gentleman excuse was a good chance to start touching.  She held his bicep with her other hand to keep from getting separated and he worked to keep the muscle in a constant state of flex.
    They were close enough to hear the beep beep of the ticket scanners as people were admitted into the show.
    “This is gonna be so cool,” he told Lisa as he handed the priceless tickets to a four-foot-something lady. 
    “I know!” said Lisa.  “You’re the best.”  She squeezed his flexed arm.
    The ticket attendant scanned the ticket, and Tyler held out his hand for the souvenir stubs, but heard a lower sound than the high-pitched beeping that came from the other scanners.  It sounded like the letter X.
    The short woman scanned the ticket again, producing the same unpleasant sound.  She tried the other ticket with the same result.
    “These tickets are no good,” she said, sounding pleased.  She handed them back and reached for someone else’s tickets. 
    “No, try them again!” Tyler insisted, placing them