Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie (26 page)
Read Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie Online
Authors: David Lubar
“I thought so.”
The band played another slow song.
I opened my arms and Lee stepped toward me as if we’d done this a million times.
“So, who do you like dancing with better?” she asked, resting her head against my shoulder.
“That’s not the sort of question I’d expect from you,” I said.
“People change,” she said.
“Yeah. Everything changes. Flux is all around us.”
Who did I like dancing with better
? I held her a bit closer. “No contest, Lee.”
Act III: Oh Brother
“Where’d you get the limo?” I asked Wesley as we headed back to the hospital. We were all riding in the front now.
“Told you already,” he said. “I borrowed it.”
“Yeah, but who’d you borrow it from?”
He pointed at a small sign on the dashboard next to the glove compartment.
Wesco Limos
. I leaned closer.
Wesley Cobble Sr., Owner
.
“Your dad owns Wesco Limos?” I asked.
He nodded. “Rents snowmobiles, too. And Jet Skis.” He hit the brakes and turned to stare at me. “You think I steal cars?”
“Of course not.”
Wesley nodded and drove on. “I’ve been tempted a couple times.”
“Please don’t,” I said.
“Yeah, please don’t,” Lee said. “We’d hate to see you get sent away.” She turned to me. “Speaking of which, you know what?”
“What?” I put my arm around her. She didn’t seem to mind.
“You keep insisting you were nice to Mouth even though you didn’t like him.”
“Yeah.”
“But I’m pretty sure you’re lying to yourself.”
“No way. Guys never lie.”
“Yeah, right. The thing is, I think you sort of liked Mouth all along.”
I’d never imagined that possibility. But then again, I never imagined I’d be dancing with Lee. Maybe I did sort of like Mouth. I was still writing to him. I guess that meant something. And I was always thinking about the wild stuff he’d said.
Wesley pulled back onto Route 22. This time, he kept the limo within ten miles of the limit. At least, for most of the trip. “I’ll wait here,” he said when we reached the hospital. “Take your time.”
“No, you won’t.” I opened the door and slid out. “I want you to come. Both of you.”
So there we were. Me and Lee and Wesley, standing on one side of a big glass window, gazing at my new brother. He stared right back at me, too. Like he already knew he could trust me.
“He looks just like you,” Lee said to me.
“Nah,” Wesley said. “He’s a lot less goofy.”
“If that’s what I look like,” I said, “just kill me now.”
Dad came up behind me and put an arm around my shoulders. “Life is good,” he said.
“Nwarries, might,” I said.
“What?” Dad asked.
“Oh, just something I learned in Spanish,” I told him. Then I introduced him to my friends.
Wow. Two small words that mean a lot.
My friends
.
Still May 17
Happy birthday.
Sorry I don’t have a present for you, but you showed up a bit early. Not that I would have had something if you were on time. Wait, I do have something for you. I have a promise.
I won’t let you down. Honest. I might make your life miserable, and play the most awful tricks on you, and exploit you in every conceivable way, but I swear I’ll never let you down.
For example—I won’t lie to you. I’ll tell you right now, newborn babies are ugly. Possibly even hideous. Every single one. You’re no exception. Ick. Just thought you’d want to know.
I’m not even all that jealous. Except for one thing. You get to sleep as much as you want. I’d do anything to trade places. Well, anything except wear a diaper.
I guess that’s about it for this thing I’ve been writing, whatever it is. I may make a few more notes now and then, but I think all the tips and stuff I put here should be enough to give you a good start. You can avoid my mistakes and make some of your own. That’s what life is all about.
Welcome to my world, Sean. You ugly toad.
thirty-three
}
i
put the notebook away for a while. But I couldn’t get out of the habit of writing. So I tried other things. Stories. Plays. Even some poems, though I’d never admit that to anyone except Lee. And Mr. Franka.
I’ve been writing letters, too. Mostly to Mouth. He writes back. Long rambling letters. But it’s not just noise. He has a lot to say. So do I. Some of which I’ll share with the world. And some of which I’ll save for a special audience.
June 7
I’m home. School’s over. I figured the last day deserved an entry. Not that this is a diary. I can’t take too long, because Wesley and Lee are waiting for me downstairs. We’re going out for pizza. Lee’s gotten good at keeping Wesley from stealing knives and saltshakers. Though she somehow got her hands on that guillotine last week, so I suspect she doesn’t object to everything Wesley does.
From now on, I can tell you stuff in person. Even if you’re currently pretending not to understand a word I say. Actually, with all the weird sounds you’re making,
I think I can get you a job at Zenger teaching Spanish.
Bwaaadios
.
Mom and Dad spend a ton of time with you. Yet, paradoxically (hey—you didn’t think the vocabulary words would stop just because school is out, did you?), they seem to have more time than ever for me. Dad and I are going away next weekend to do some bass fishing on Lake Erie. I’d bring you along, but we’re not planning to use live bait.
I was going to buy you your first book right after you were born, but Mom beat me to it. She actually bought you six books, including
Goodnight Moon
and
pat the bunny
. It was a pretty good selection, though I would have added something a bit edgier to the mix, like
Dracula
. Or at least
Bunnicula
.
Dad bought you a plastic tool set. Maybe you’ll be an all-around sort of guy. Someone who can rebuild an engine and write a sonnet. Hey, the world needs both. Engines and sonnets. They both take us places we’d never reach on our own.
Bobby called last night from New Orleans. They’re about midway through the concert tour. When he got his first check, he bought us a computer. You aren’t allowed near it until you get control over that whole drooling problem of yours. He and Mom talk a lot on the phone. I think he’s been telling her all sorts of stuff he’d kept locked up.
I found out there’s a place at the community college
that helps people who have reading problems. I didn’t mention it to Bobby yet. That can wait until he comes home between tours. But he’s going to find out how much pleasure there is in reading. No way I’m going to let one of my brothers miss out on that.
Julia started dating a nicer guy. I’m happy for her. We always say hi when we pass each other in the halls. Lee dyed her hair orange. It looks pretty hot. My own red disaster is growing out. I thought about shaving my head, but decided to let things go back to normal on their own schedule. It’s just hair. No big deal.
They’re shouting for me to come down. I really have to go. We need to celebrate the end of school. Wesley is going to graduate. And, wow, I’m not a freshman anymore. I’m a sophomore. Imagine that.
“Flux rox,” Scott said, conclusively.
