HERE (On the Otherside Series, Book One)

CHAPTER SIX

Chapter Six

In spite of last night’s questionable results, I sit with my family at dinner. We eat pizza while everyone discusses their plans. Mom and Dad are going to see a movie with friends, even though they are barely speaking to each other, my father answering Mom’s questions with grunts. Anna has been invited to a sleepover. As usual, I’m doing nothing.

Mom makes a stab at conversation again, but our responses are stilted. Dad refuses to look at me, and Anna watches as though my head will spin at any second.

As soon as we finish, they disappear, leaving me alone. My room suddenly feels suffocating, so I flop on the sofa in the living room and spend the next hour flipping through channels.

The phone rings and I jump. A cordless unit lays on the table next to me, and I consider letting the answering machine get it until the name on caller ID pops up.

Evan.

Before I can chicken out, or even think of what to say, my thumb pushes the talk button. “Hello.”

After a half-second of silence, he says, “Julia?”

“Yeah.”

“This is Evan.”

A crowd cheers in the background. “Where are you?”

“The football game.”

I can’t imagine why he’d be calling me, let alone from the game. “So you really aren’t playing?”

“No.”

My curiosity is piqued, but I stop myself from asking why not. “What’s up?”

“I thought I’d call and see if you were having any problems with your trig homework.”

I laugh. “Do you get to count this in your community service hours?”

“Nah, this is a freebie.”

The crowd breaks into even louder cheering. “What’s going on there?”

“I think we just got a touchdown.”

“You think? Aren’t you supposed to know?”

“I suppose, but something more interesting caught my attention.”

My cheeks flush making me thankful no one’s around to see.

“So, do you need any help?”

“Actually, no. I’m not doing homework. I’m trying to find something to watch on TV.”

“Ah, a procrastinator, huh?” He laughs. “Maybe next week you should come to the game.”

I hold my breath then release it. He didn’t ask me to go with him, just suggested I go. “Yeah, I’m not really a football kind of girl.”

“No? What kind of girl are you then?”

That’s a good question. Even though I feel myself becoming more normal, I don’t think I’ll ever be the person I was before. “Not a football game-goer.”

“Okay, what else?”

“Don’t you have a game to watch?”

“Not until you tell me two more things. What’s the first thing that pops into your head when you think about yourself?”

“This is stupid.”

“No, it’s not. It’s proven psychology. Besides, I’m not hanging up until you do.”