For Your Heart (Hill Dweller Retellings) Read Online Free Page B

letting you sleep over at Celeste's are you?”
         I can almost imagine his face: stuck somewhere between disappointment at having upset me and a disgruntled fatherly stubbornness.  “No,” I mumble.  “I have a Spanish test today and I'm totally not going to pass it.”
         “Oh.  Didn't you study?”
         Yeah, for like five minutes.   “That's why I went to Celeste's.”  Not that we got any studying done.
         “Oh.  Then you'll be fine.  Celeste knows best.”
         “Dad, just because Celeste is Puerto Rican doesn't mean I'm going to pass Spanish,” I mumble.
         “Well,” Dad flounders, sounding like he realizes he’s being racially insensitive, “I'll make waffles.”  He says this like it can solve any problem.  “Homemade.”  He dangles the descriptive like it's something addictive.
         When Mom was alive, homemade meant wonderful, edible food, but with Dad as the new occupant of the pink and white apron, that usually means something burned beyond recognition. 
         Homemade is a word that makes my heart ache like the word Timmy makes my heart ache.  But, I don’t want Dad to know he’s dragged up Mom’s memory, so I playfully moan in protest.
         “Okay, fine.”  He holds up his hands in surrender and grins.  “Cereal and toast it is.”
         I smile back.  “I'll be down in a minute.”
         Winking, he turns toward the door.  “Cheer up, you’ll do fine on your test.  You’re a smart girl.”
         My smile turns to something more wistful at his back as he walks away.  I should be nicer to Dad.  If it weren’t for this repetitive morning routine, I don’t know how I would have made it through these past seven years. I don’t think he’ll ever know how much I love and appreciate him for that, but the truth is, one day I’m going to have to deal with waking up without him.

Chapter 6
     
    Jeanette
     
         “And I swear, season four is the best yet,” Emily insists during our lunch period.
         I poke at my pudding and stare at my Spanish book, hating myself for not going home and studying yesterday.  Grades are important to me, getting into a good college is important to me.  But so is keeping my friends.  Considering how buddy-buddy Celeste and Amber are today it’s a well-founded fear.
         As if on cue, Celeste laughs at something Amber said that I’m not listening to and my heart sinks.  Are they closer now?  Am I going to lose Amber to Celeste if Celeste and I can’t patch the hole between us?
         Emily leans over me and takes a spoonful of my pudding.  “Fabric shopping for costumes tonight?”
         I smile at her.  I’ll always have Em.  She’s a constant, like Dad.  “You bet.”
         Celeste wrinkles her nose.  “Costumes?”
         Emily nods.  “For AniCon.”
         Celeste nibbles her lip, her eyes shifting back and forth between us.  “What’s that?”
         Amber gives her a wide-eyed look, as if she’s crazy for even asking and it makes me love Amber more.  “It’s an anime convention!  Awesome cosplay, debut shows, tons of fun vendors.  Em and Nett go every year.  You should see the stuff they brought back last year!”
         Emily nods.  “You can come, too, if you want, but you have to dress up as your favorite anime character.”
         “Yeah,” Celeste says, drawing out the word.  “Have fun with that.”
         I lift my chin.  “We will.”
         Celeste turns to Amber.  “You’re not going to that thing too, are you?”
         Amber hunches her shoulders, looking sheepish.  “I thought about it.  But, I have a state meet that weekend.”
         “It’s okay,” I say.  “We might go to another one in the spring.”
         Amber grins like I’ve given her the key to the TARDIS .  “Really?  That would be so cool! I’ve always wanted to go with you guys.  It looks