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CHAPTER TWO

  “If you did it you can tell me.” Marnie and I were sitting on the edge of her lawn, watching a tow-truck chain up Mom's wet and crumpled car.

  “I didn't do it. I already told you.” I pulled my knees tightly to my chest. “The fire-hydrant shot off. I didn't run into it. I don’t get why they feel the need to tow the vehicle away for an inspection.” Luckily enough, the incident had occurred right outside Marnie's front door. I hadn't even had to call for help. Marnie had heard the sound of pounding water and looked outside in fear that our evening was ruined. She'd been right. We'd been sitting on the curb for two hours while the police inspected the scene and asked me five times if I'd been drinking. They were sure I'd crashed the car into the fire hydrant, as was Mom, who'd arrived half an hour ago. Thankfully, a lack of evidence on the car, the fire hydrant, and my breath had proved them wrong. “I wouldn’t drive like that: I wouldn’t be careless. Not after,” I paused to take a deep breath, “Not after what happened to my dad.”

  Marnie silently turned her blond head to watch with me. The police gave the tow-truck driver instructions on where to take the car for further inspections. Mom stood next to them, arms crossed firmly over her chest.

  As if she could read my mind, Marnie said, “Your mom sure looks thin.”

  “She doesn't eat anymore.” I tucked my hair behind my ear, bracing to reveal the truth. “She’s depressed. It’s really bad. She won’t even look at me. I think…I think it’s because I look like him.”

  Marnie's blue eyes grew round. “What? Oh, Nessa, I’m so sorry.”

  I dug my nails deep into the soft tissue of my palms. “I just wish she’d snap out of it. That she’d remember she still has a daughter to live for.”

  Marnie reached over, hugging me. “It'll be fine Nessa. I'm here.” Marnie pulled away, looking me in the eye. “I’m sure your mom will pull out of it soon. She just needs a bit of time—she’s grieving. I'm sure Aaron would be more than willing to keep you company in the meantime.”

  I laughed a little. “Even with all this drama you're still trying to play matchmaker.”

  Marnie shrugged. “Well, you've had a crush on him for months. And it's pretty obvious he likes you—he almost kissed you last weekend!” Marnie wistfully looked in the direction of the beach, which was hidden by a myriad of suburban houses. “It's too bad we're missing the beach party. Aaron sounded pretty upset when I told him why we couldn't make it.” Marnie squeezed my hand. “He said he'd call you next week when he gets back from his family vacation.”

  A sharp pain hit me in the stomach. “He's leaving?”

  Marnie nodded. “Before sunrise. His family's going on some wilderness fishing retreat thingy so he can't bring his cell phone.”

  “Crap.” I bit my lip, trying to stop the shaking. “This really sucks. Everything...it just sucks.” Tears slipped out of the corners of my eyes. “I mean, first my dad dies. Then some stupid fire-hydrant gets me in an accident...” I pushed the tears off my cheeks. “And now Aaron… This has to be the worst summer ever.”

  “Maybe tomorrow will be better?”

  I smiled weakly at Marnie and shook my head. “Maybe; it's not like it can get much worse.”

  Marnie smiled back, but her blue eyes didn't look any happier than I felt. “Which means things have to get better, right?”

  “Nessa, the taxi's here,” Mom yelled, saving me from trying to find an answer to Marnie’s un-answerable question.

  I stood, brushing off the seat of my jeans.

  Marnie stood up with me. “I'll call you tomorrow. We can take the bus to the mall, hang out at Starbucks.”

  I tried to laugh. We both hated Starbucks. “Can't wait.” I crawled into the cab behind Mom. She gave the cabbie our address and then started in on me.

  “What the hell happened, Nessa?”

  “Nothing!” How dare she start by accusing me. “I told you and the police what happened.” I glared at her. She refused to meet my gaze.

  “Were you drinking?”

  “Of course not. I was driving extremely carefully. Do you really think that after…that after Dad, that I’d do something that stupid?”

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking, Nessa.”

  “Exactly, because you don’t talk to me anymore. You may as well be dead too!”

  Mom let out long sigh, looking down at her hands. “Do you really think that?”

  I opened my mouth, nothing came out. Of course I didn’t want her dead. Having her here and depressed was better than not having her here at all, wasn’t it? “I didn't crash the car.” I crossed my arms and looked out the window, away from her.

  I jumped out of the cab the moment the driver put it in park. I ran into the house and up to my room before I had to say another word. Collapsing on my bed, I closed my eyes, hoping I'd fall asleep and wake up to discover this awful experience had been a dream. But I knew it was real. My life had changed, and it was stuck this way.