Read The Art of Life for Free Online Page B

food
and then about 99% of the cake.   I look
at him.   “How in the world can you eat
all that, and not be fat?”
                    “I
go running every night,” he replies.
                    “I
think I would fall on my face, if I went jogging,” I state matter-of-factly.
                    Rolling
his eyes, Jeremy says, “I doubt it.   Come
on, we should get you home.”
                    “Yeah,
I actually have homework to do.”
                    With
a big sigh, Jeremy goes, “I DO NOT miss homework.”
                    “I
get straight A’s and I want to keep that up,” I reply, as I follow him out of
the booth.
                    Jeremy
reaches over and grabs my back pack and bike helmet.   He slides the helmet on my head.   “Well then, we will get you home.”
                    I
laugh, and put the backpack on.   He grabs
his helmet.   I let my gaze wander over to
Eric.   He sees me looking at him.    Eric gives me a little wave.   As my eyes get huge, Jeremy slides the visor
down on my helmet.   I awkwardly wave
back.   To cut me off, Jeremy slides his
arm around me and leads me outside.
                    When
we get outside, I slide the visor back up and exclaim, “He waved at me!”
                    “Yup,”
Jeremy says, getting on the bike.   “He
actually paid attention to you.   Yippee.”
                    “Hey,”
I snap, climbing on behind him.   “That is
a lot.”
                    Turning
around to look at me, Jeremy says, “When he has a normal conversation with you,
then you can be happy.”
                    “Now,
that would be awesome,” I giggle.
                    Jeremy
just rolls his eyes.   “Let’s get you
home.”
                    He
pulls up to my house and I see my mom’s car parked in the driveway.   I jump off and practically shout, “You should
go now.”
                    “You
really are worried about me seeing you at home, aren’t you?”
                    “Nobody
should see my home life,” I respond.   “I
don’t want to see my home life.”
                    Sitting
up more, Jeremy says, “It’s not going to scare me.”
                    “Please,
just go, before I get into trouble.”   I
hand him the bike helmet.  
                    Jeremy
puts his hand up.   “Keep it for now.   I will pick you up on Saturday.   Say around noon, is that alright?”
                    “Yeah,
sounds great,” I reply.   Pointing to the
house, I say, “I should go in.”
                    “Okay,
night girlie.   I will see you this
weekend.”
                    “Sounds
good,” I say, smiling.
                    He
winks and then turns his bike around, heading down the street.   I watch him go.   I don’t even think of my mother when I walk
in the house.   I just sprint up to my
room.   Shoving the helmet in my closet, I
know my mom won’t see it there.   After a
few minutes, I creep downstairs, waiting for the yelling to start.  
                    I
find my mom in the kitchen.   “Where have
you been?” She asks, quietly.
                    “Went
out to dinner with a friend,” I reply.
                    She
turns and looks at me with sad eyes.   “A friend?   That’s
good.”
                    Oh
boy, we are lucid and sad tonight.   It’s
times like these that I feel bad for her.   I sit down.   “You okay mom?”
                    “Just
having a bad night, I am going to bed now.   I will see you tomorrow.”
                    “Yeah,
I am going to take the bus and go grocery shopping
after