Dizzy Read Online Free Page A

start to beat a little faster. Something’s wrong. Something Dad doesn’t want to tell me. Just that quickly my stomach churns. The last time Dad told me something he didn’t want to, all our lives changed forever.
    “Yeah, yeah. Call your brother. I’ll be upstairs in my office if you need to talk.”
    Need to talk? Why would I need to talk?
    I rush Chastity to the main floor and outside. Becky pulls up at the perfect time. As she tells me goodbye, I’m already dialing Derrick’s phone number. I’m pacing across one of the only other things Dad’s anal about—his lawn.
    “Pick up, pick up, pick up,” I mumble, all sorts of thoughts pounding in my brain. Derrick’s sick. He’s leaving the country. Something’s wrong with Dad that he can’t tell me.
    “Hey, baby brother!”
    I let out a breath. He sounds happy. If he sounds happy, nothing can be wrong, right?
    “What’s up? Dad was all pale and shit when he said I needed to call you.”
    Derrick laughs. “Nothing’s wrong, Lil D. I have good news!”
    Lil D. I hate that name. Just because he’s older, he gets to be Big D. Whatever.
    “So spill it.” My voice cracks. I’m still nervous. Why am I still nervous?
    Through the phone, I hear Derrick take a few breaths. He’s nervous, too. “Dyl, I’m getting married!”
    MARRIED? What? It’s worse than I thought. My brother isn’t dying; he’s gone bat-shit crazy.
    “Listen, Dylan, I know… Mom and all, but…”
    But he doesn’t know. That’s why he doesn’t finish his sentence. If he knew, he wouldn’t be doing this. If he cared, he wouldn’t be doing this. I was wrong. My brother is a sellout. He went back on our pact. He’s going to end up just like Dad.
    Unable to hold it back, I drop my cell and puke in Dad’s prized grass. 
     
     

 
     
     
    Four
    ~Ziah~
     
    My jaw is like, on the floor. My sister Lora, sophomore in college, is getting married. Married to someone we’ve never met. Because they haven’t been dating all that long. I mean, she stayed in Boulder for summer school and for Thanksgiving, and I guessed it had something to do with the boyfriend. But he was just a boyfriend. Now he’s a fiancé!
    What happened to all her lectures? School first, career second, boys third. Always. I’ve looked up to her because of this for years. And I know that seems crazy because I’m dating James, but he and I have the same goals. We’re both going to med school, and we both get how much pressure is on people in our position.
    Mom’s smiling in the kitchen, putting dishes away before work. Since she’s a chef, she’s completely meticulous about how things are done, and our kitchen is the biggest and only up-to-date room in the house. Mom’s light brown hair is cut short, and her tiny figure moves through the room with lightning speed. I can’t believe things are still so normal after Lora’s ridiculous decision.
    “Mom! How can you be so calm about this?”
    “Your sister’s a smart girl.” She shrugs. Shrugs! “Her fiancé Derrick and I talked on the phone, and we had so much to say, we talked for over an hour. He really has his head on straight. And he’s from Portland, too! Isn’t that fun?”
    I narrow my eyes. I’m totally suspicious for a million reasons right now. The first one being that Mom’s way too calm about this.
    Wait. “Does Dad know?”
    She lets out a long sigh. “Of course your father knows.”
    I cross my arms and slump down in my stool. I hate being the last to know stuff.
    Dad’s an ER doctor at Providence St. Vincent. He loves every second of it, and his job makes me even more determined to go to med school. The problem is that he’s home almost as little as Mom is, so I never know who knows what about whom. I really want Dad on Team Ziah for this one.
    “Your sister will be home in a few days for Christmas Break. That’ll give us all a chance to meet him.” She pats my back and walks out of the room. “I’ll be late tonight.”
    Isn’t