Past Midnight. Mara Purnhagen

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СКАЧАТЬ we have more stuff than before, or does it just seem that way?” he asked.

      “Just seems that way,” I said. “Hand me a box.”

      Over the next few hours I made a thousand trips up and down the stairs. My legs were feeling sore and I was ready for a break. I was happy, though, that my room now held a bed and a dresser, as well as a dozen different cardboard boxes marked with my name. I noticed one of the boxes was smaller than the others and was labeled in my sister’s handwriting. I knelt down next to it and peeled off the thin brown packing tape. On top of everything was a single sheet of notebook paper.

      Dear Charlotte,

      I hope you’re having fun settling into the new house (ha ha—I know how much you love to unpack). I just wanted to let you know how great it was to spend the summer with you. I’ve enclosed some things I thought you might need this year. Have a great time at school, and see you soon!

      Love, Annalise.

      I folded the note in half and smiled. It had been difficult leaving Annalise behind in Charleston. I had given her a wordless hug before getting into the car, but I refused to look out the window as she waved us off. Even though this would be her second year away at college, I still had not gotten used to the emptiness that came with her absence from my daily life. And now, after having spent the summer with her, I knew it would take me a while to readjust.

      I sifted through the box and found a new alarm clock, some notebooks, a pack of multicolored pens and, at the very bottom, Annalise’s pink sweater. I lifted it out and held it for a moment.

      “Charlotte! We need your help!” Mom called from downstairs.

      “Coming!” I yelled back.

      “Charlotte.”

      I spun around. It sounded like Mom had whispered my name from right behind me, but no one was there.

      “I need something to eat,” I mumbled. My stomach was obviously impairing my brain. I set Annalise’s sweater on top of the nearest box.

      “There’s no residual energy in a new house,” I said out loud. I waited, as if I might get a response. Nothing. I turned and went downstairs.

      “Oh, good.” Mom motioned me over to the truck. “I don’t need to remind you to be careful with this,” she said as she gingerly placed a TV monitor in my arms.

      “Living room?” I asked, drooping under the weight of the monitor.

      “Next to the others,” Mom confirmed.

      We never really had a living room in any of our houses. My parents converted the largest room of each home into their office, which meant pushing long tables against the walls and filling every square inch with equipment and computers. The dining room held the sofa and TV, and we ate our meals in the kitchen.

      After all of the equipment had been safely stored in the living room/office, I returned to the truck, determined to get everything cleared out before dinner. As I was pulling out a floor lamp from the back of the truck, I spotted a girl about my age standing across the street. My first thought was to wonder how she had managed to put a guinea pig on a leash, but when I looked more closely I saw that she was walking a very tiny dog. She waved, so I set the lamp down on the sidewalk and crossed the empty street to say hi.

      “Moving in?” she asked. Her microscopic dog began to bark wildly. It was more of a high-pitched squeak, a sound like something a rabid mouse would make.

      “Yeah. Hi, I’m Charlotte.”

      “I’m Avery. And this—” she motioned to her pet “—this is Dante. Shh, Dante.”

      “What kind of dog is he?”

      “A very naughty one. Dante!” She smiled at me apologetically. “He’s normally friendly. And quiet.” She scooped him up and cradled him in her arms. He stopped barking, but his eyes remained on me. I’d never seen a dog so protective of its owner.

      “So, where are you moving from?” Avery asked. Her light brown hair was pulled into a ponytail and she wore a blue T-shirt with “Vikings” across the front.

      “We just came from Charleston,” I said.

      “Oh! I have friends who go to college down there.”

      “My sister goes to school there! I wonder if she knows any of them?”

      Avery nodded. “Maybe. It’s a small school.” She looked around. “Just like this is a small town. In fact, nearly half of last year’s senior class is going to Charleston.” She frowned as if she’d remembered something, then changed the subject.

      We chatted for a while. She pointed out her house at the bottom of the hill and we talked about school, where we would both be seniors.

      “Do you play any sports?” she asked.

      “No. You?”

      Avery pointed to her T-shirt. “I’m a cheerleader. Go Vikings.”

      I smiled. “Is this a big sports town?”

      “Kind of. Our football team’s good. They went to State last year. Although this year…” Her voice trailed off and she looked down at Dante, who was keeping up a low growl as he stared at me.

      “So where’s the best place for pizza around here?” I asked, deciding to change the subject this time. “My parents said I could pick dinner tonight.”

      “That’s easy. There’s this little place downtown called Giuseppe’s. Best pizza around, I swear.”

      “Do they deliver?” After a long day of unpacking, I was craving a hot slice of pizza with pepperoni and extra cheese.

      “No, but I’ll go with you to pick it up,” Avery offered. “I have a car.”

      I was thrilled. Not only was Avery nice, but she lived right on my street and had her own car. If we became friends, we could drive to school together and I wouldn’t be forced to ride the dreaded bus. My parents owned two vehicles: a silver BMW that I wasn’t allowed to go near, and a large black van with the word “Doubt” painted across the side in tall silver letters. I couldn’t imagine pulling up to school in the van, so it was either catch a ride with someone or endure the school bus.

      We agreed to meet an hour later. Dante squirmed in Avery’s arms as she walked home, growling and trying to get one final, fierce look at me.

      “I don’t like that dog,” I muttered. As soon as I said it, I felt a sharp, cold breeze against my face. It lasted only half a second, but it was so intense I put a hand to my cheek. Then Dad hollered at me to get the lamp off the sidewalk and into the house.

      “I met a girl from my new school,” I told him after I’d plugged the lamp into an outlet in the dining room. He was pushing a sofa against the wall. “We’re going to get pizza later.”

      Mom came into the room carrying a fake fern. “You’ve made a friend already? That’s wonderful.”

      I shrugged. “She’s not СКАЧАТЬ