Unearthly by Cynthia Hand Page B

there kind of naturally gravitated to me. Here it’s a whole different story, though, largely because of obstacle number three: Kay Patterson. It’s hard to make a lot of friends when the most popular girl in school is giving you the stink-eye.
    The next morning Jeffrey wanders into the kitchen wearing his IF IDIOTS COULD FLY, THIS PLACE WOULD LOOK LIKE AN AIRPORT shirt. I know that everyone at school will think it’s funny and not be at all offended, because they like him. Things are so easy for him.
    â€œHey, you feel like driving today?” he asks. “I don’t want to walk to the bus stop. It’s too cold.”
    â€œYou feel like dying today?”
    â€œSure. I like risking my life. Keeps things in perspective.”
    I chuck my bagel at him and he catches it in midair. I look at the closed door to Mom’s office. He smiles hopefully.
    â€œFine,” I tell him. “I’ll go warm up the car.”
    â€œSee,” he says as we slowly make our way down the long road to school. “You can handle this driving-on-snow thing. Pretty soon you’ll be like a pro.”
    He’s being suspiciously nice.
    â€œOkay, what’s up with you?” I ask. “What do you want?”
    â€œI got on the wrestling team.”
    â€œHow’d you pull that off if tryouts were back in November?”
    He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “I challenged the best wrestler on the team to a match. I won. It’s a small school. They need contenders.”
    â€œDoes Mom know?”
    â€œI told her I’m on the team. She wasn’t thrilled. But she can’t forbid us from all school activities, right? I’m tired of this ‘we better lay low, or someone will figure out we’re different’ crap. I mean, it’s not like if I win a match people are going to say, who’s that kid, he’s a really good wrestler, he must be an angel .”
    â€œRight,” I agree uneasily. But then Mom isn’t the type to make rules simply because she can. There has to be an explanation for her cautiousness.
    â€œThe thing is, I need a ride to some of the practices,” he says, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. “Like, all of them.”
    For a minute it’s quiet, the only sound the heater blowing across our legs.
    â€œWhen?” I ask finally. I brace myself for bad news.
    â€œFive thirty a.m.”
    â€œHa.”
    â€œOh, come on.”
    â€œGet Mom to drive you.”
    â€œShe said that if I was going to insist on being on the wrestling team, I’d have to find my own ride. Take responsibility for myself.”
    â€œWell, good luck with that,” I laugh.
    â€œPlease. It’ll just be for a few weeks. Then my buddy Darrin will turn sixteen and he can pick me up.”
    â€œI’m sure Mom will love that.”
    â€œCome on, Clara. You owe me,” he says quietly.
    I do owe him. It’s because of me that his life is upside down. Not that he seems to be suffering much.
    â€œI don’t owe you squat,” I say. “But . . . okay. For like six weeks, tops, and then you’ll have to get someone else to be your chauffeur.”
    He looks genuinely happy. We might be on some kind of road to recovery, he and I, like it used to be. Redemption, isn’t that what they call it? Six weeks of early mornings doesn’t seem like too big a price to pay for him not hating me anymore.
    â€œThere’s one condition though,” I tell him.
    â€œWhat?”
    I put in my Kelly Clarkson CD. “We get to listen to my tunes.”
    Wendy’s wearing a shirt that reads, HORSES ATE MY HOMEWORK .
    â€œYou’re adorkable,” I whisper as we slip into our seats for Honors English. Her current crush, Jason Lovett, is staring in our direction from across the room. “Don’t look now, but Prince Charming is totally checking you out.”
    â€œShut up.”
    â€œI hope he can ride a