Read Olivia for Free Online Page B

"You said you didn't like Mr. Garner either
when you were in high school, Olivia," Belinda said. "I said he wasn't very enthusiastic about his
work, but I didn't say he was a frog."
They all laughed again as if I had meant it to be
funny.
"Jerry gave Barbara a pretty expensive ring. It's
the closest thing to an engagement ring," Peter
continued. "He told me they intend to get married
soon after graduation."
"I already know about that. Marcia Gleason
told me last night on the phone," Belinda said. "Suicide Jerry, that's what we call him," Quin
said laughing.
"Don't make fun of him," Belinda moaned as if
she were seconds from bursting into tears. "He and
Barbara are really in love. It's wonderful when you can find someone with whom to spend your whole life, someone who will care more about you than he
does about himself, someone like my father." The three boys stopped smiling and accepted
her rebuke. How she dangled them on strings, I
thought, studying them each more closely. Who was
the father of her dead fetus? Certainly not Peter
Wilkes, unless Belinda got him to get her something
expensive in a trade. She could do that, I thought. "Anyone else come down with the flu this
week?" I inquired. One of them surely knew the truth
about Belinda.
Quin and Arnold looked at each other and then
shook their heads.
"I don't think so," Arnold said. "Bobby Lester
was out, but he twisted his ankle at the game." "We only have a couple of weeks until finals.
It's hard to miss class now," Peter said, "which
reminds me, Belinda. Here are my notes from English
literature class."
"Oh, thank you, Peter. That's so sweet." "Sweeter than the candy?" I asked. Belinda
laughed.
"My sister is so funny sometimes," she
explained. She took the notes and put them beside her.
"I'll do some studying later."
"That will be unusual," I remarked under my
breath, but loud enough to be heard.
"Olivia!"
"You know you have to pass the final in
English to graduate, Belinda."
"You said you'd help me study," she whined.
The boys looked from her to me to her as we spoke. "I will if you're serious about trying." "I am."
"I'll come up and study with you this week,"
Peter offered quickly.
"That's very nice of you, Peter. See, someone
cares about me," she cried with delight. Her eyes slid
from one boy to the other, melting each one into a
doting admirer as she passed her gaze like a
benediction, turning them into worshipers in seconds.
The sight disgusted me.
Where were the real men of today? I couldn't
imagine Daddy acting like this when he was their age. "I wish you had been at the game, Belinda.
When I threw that last pitch . ."
"There you go again, talking sports. If you don't
stop, I'll close my eyes and fall asleep," she
threatened.
If the conversation didn't center around her, she
wasn't interested.
"I just wanted to say I was thinking of you. This
one's for Belinda, I thought," Arnold told her. "Oh." She perked up, her dimple flashing.
"Well that's different. You won because of me. I want
everyone to know that," she declared. Arnold nodded
like a soldier taking orders to go forth and bellow the
news in the streets of Provincetown.
"They asked my band to play at the graduation
party on the beach," Quin blurted, attempting to win
back her attention.
"That's wonderful," Belinda cried.
"Can I pick you up and take you to the party?"
Arnold asked quickly.
"I can get my father's Cadillac," Peter
suggested. "I'll just come by with my motorcycle. You
can watch us set up," Quin added.
Belinda considered the offers and looked at me.
"What would you do, Olivia?"
"Walk," I said dryly.
She broke into a long, loud laugh and clapped
her hands.
"Walk. I love it. Yes, who will walk with me?" "If that's what you want to do," Arnold said
quickly. "I will."
Maybe he was the father after all, I thought.
She had denied it too quickly.
"I'm not sure yet. I'll think about it," Belinda
said coyly. She dangled her promise of acceptance
like bait and the three stood there nibbling like poor
dumb