The Book Exchange

chapter one

I blamed my mother for a lot of things. Giving birth to me, making me go bald in the third grade and not stopping my high ponytail phase.

But what I didn't expect was her to force me into a book exchange. Or for it to completely change my life.

It was the first day of school and I was already in trouble. All I'd done was skip one measly math class and now I'd probably landed myself into a month of grounding, plus a week of detention.

I was also getting my phone taken away, so my only one friend, Jane, would probably call the police when I didn't reply to her daily texts.

"Mom, I have nothing to do!" I yelled as I walked down the stairs, heading to the kitchen where she was getting dinner ready.

She gave me a side look. "Then you shouldn't have skipped calculus, Lo."

"Don't act like you never skipped class." I pouted, licking the cake batter spoon.

"At least my teacher never caught me."

It took me a second to process that information. "Oh my god, you were totally badass. Is that why Dad fell in love with you?"

My parents love story was one I would never tire of hearing. Mom always had a smile on her face when she told it. "Actually, the first time we met, I stole your dad's motorcycle."

I gasped. "Woah."

"And then he gave it to me for my birthday and seventeen years later here you are."

"When's he getting back?" I asked, placing the now clean spoon in the sink. Because of his job, Dad was always travelling and only came around like twice a year since he rarely got time off. He and Mom also had an on and off relationship since well, he wasn't around much to be in a relationship but anyone could tell they were in love.

Except them.

They'd named me Lorelai—I'd shortened it to Lorie—because their situation reminded Mom of Gilmore Girls and Rory sounded like the name for a horror movie—but I still loved Rory Gilmore, she was a sweetheart—well, most of the time.

She bit her lip. "I'm actually not too sure. I'd say you could call him but someone got their phone taken away so you can use mine or the landline."

"What am I supposed to do to stop dying of boredom?" I asked.

"Hold on. I think I saw something in a magazine." Mom left to go get the magazine, I presumed.

I followed. "No way am I joining yoga. What if I fart in front of everyone?"

She flipped through the pages before finally finding the right one. "Aha!" Mom slid it to me.

It was a book exchange mashed with having a pen pal to discuss the book. It also cost twenty dollars, including shipping charges for letters and the cost of a book of my choosing to send to the other person.

"Really, Mom?"

"What? I thought you liked to read."

I had no explanations. "I do, but what if I get a murderer? Do you want to be murdered, Mom? Do you?"

She patted my head. "Sweetie, no one is going to waste their time murdering you."

___

I ended up signing up for the book exchange.

Who knew? Maybe I'd end up meeting someone interesting.