Read Strange in Skin for Free Online Page B

break. Finally
something going my way for once.
     
“I know, I know. It’s just … Buck is such a nice young man. Your father just thinks the world of
him, you know.”
    I nodded and then headed toward the stairs to go to my room. Did Buck have a crush on me?
Impossible. I stepped onto my soft purple carpet and shut the door quietly. It had sounded like he was
asking me out though. That’s not exactly what I wanted. I didn’t want to have to pretend to like him
more than a friend just to get information out of him, but I would if that’s what it took. Maybe I
wouldn’t have to cross that line. A little flirting wouldn’t hurt anyone. I wasn’t the least bit interested
in Buck in that way. He was too short, he had these big glasses and he seemed so awkward pretending
to be a big, bad police officer when he was truly so meek and scrawny. I could have come up with a
long list of reasons why I could never like Buck in that way. He was just a friend, a friend that I
needed to help me get back into Seneca County Prison.
How was I going to act toward him? Did I even know how to flirt? I laughed and went over to my
mirror. I was grinning at myself, a devious sort of grin, and I knew the games were about to begin.
     
“What are you going to wear?”
     
I turned around to see my mother hovering over me as I picked through sweaters in my closet.
“Probably a sweater and jeans. It’s Frost Fest, remember? It’s outside.”
    She ran her hand over the top row of shirts. She was on a mission. I had so many clothes, but I
hardly wore any of them. Some were still left over from high school, some as far back as ninth grade.
I just hadn’t taken the time to get rid of this stuff. I probably should, I decided. I was never going to
wear half of these clothes again.
“Here.” My mother took down a hanger from the top and held out a black turtleneck. “This always
looked nice on you, honey.”
     
I stared at it for a moment. “All right.” I grabbed the shirt and pulled the hanger out. Black
turtleneck and jeans it was.
     
“And wear those cute boots, too,” my mother added as she left the room so I could change. “Those
ones I bought you for Christmas a couple years back. You know the ones I mean.”
    I watched her disappear and quickly changed. I ran a comb through my hair and then smoothed it
down with my hands so some of the static would go away. I sighed. I just prayed that I wasn’t going to
slip and say something stupid. All I had to do was be friendly. I needed Buck to trust me.
    The clock on the wall said 11:45. He would be here any minute. I glanced out the window. Buck’s
shiny silver sports car pulled up beside the house. I grabbed my purse, tucked it under my arm and
headed downstairs.
    “Morning, Mrs. James.”
“Why hello, Buck.” My mother opened the door wider so he could come in.
“How are you doing, Buck?” My father took a step toward him to shake his hand.
“Just fine, sir.” He shook my father’s hand and looked my way.
    I walked in and shuffled past my parents. They were making this a big ordeal. Of course, I had
never gone out on a date before, so I guess this was all new and exciting to them, especially since they
liked the guy so much.
    “Ready?” I asked, anxious to get away from my parents.
“You look nice.” He smiled at me.
I blushed and quickly put my head down so no one would see. “Thanks,” I mumbled.
“Have a good time!” I heard my mother shout behind us as we walked down the steps of the porch
toward the car.
    Buck opened the car door for me, and I quickly got inside. The smell of a very strong strawberry air
freshener filled my nostrils. I tried to hold my breath for a moment, the smell hitting my sinuses full
force as I could feel the sudden twinge of a headache developing.
“So did you go to Frost Fest last year?” Buck asked as we drove down the wet back roads toward
the highway.
     
I tried to breathe normally as I slowly eased myself into getting used to the