Just Like Heaven Read Online Free

nice,” Demi explained and he nodded.
     
    “Well, this is my house,” he gestured grandly to the two storey house behind him which was slightly larger and more maintained than Demi’s.
     
    “It’s nice.”
     
    “Thanks, tell my Mom that, it would make her day.”
     
    Arthur led Demi in to his home and in to the bright kitchen where his Mom was busy baking cookies as they were Jared’s favorite.
     
    “Hey Mom, this is Demi,” he introduced them.
     
    “Hi, Demi,” Mrs. Cooper smiled flashing brilliant bright white teeth. She was slender and blonde. It was evident where Arthur had inherited his good looks.
     
    “Please excuse the mess, we’ve been at the hospital all afternoon,” she said, sounding flustered.
     
    “Oh no, your house is stunning!” Demi objected politely.
     
    “Aren’t you sweet,” Mrs. Cooper smiled approvingly, still bemused that Arthur had bought a girl around as he’d never done it before.
     
    “Where is he?” Arthur asked, concerned.
     
    “He’s upstairs in his room. He’s tired. I’m making him some of his favourite cookies before he goes to sleep.”
     
    “Come on,” Arthur instructed Demi to follow him and she did; through the lounge, up the stairs, over their sleeping collie dog and along the landing to a door which had pictures of space ships all over it. Arthur knocked lightly before entering, not waiting for a response.
     
    “Hey champ,” he called fondly to the small figure sat in the far corner on the bed, clutching a game controller in slight, skeletal hands.
     
    “Artie!” Jared’s face lit up when his brother came in and he went to get up but Arthur motioned for him to stay sitting.
     
    “You need to save your energy,” he told him as he came and joined him on the bed.
     
    “I’m not tired,” Jared lied. His skin was paper thin and dark circles hung beneath his eyes which should have been a brilliant blue but were now dulled. He smiled as Arthur playfully ruffled his hair before spying Demi lingering nervously in the doorway.
     
    “Who is the girl?” Jared asked, sounding annoyed.
     
    “This is Demi; she is a friend from school.” Nervously Demi came in, noting how the room smelt medicinal rather than of sweat and dirt like most other boys” rooms.
     
    “You like spaceships, huh, that’s cool.” She said gently, glancing at the walls adorned with images of shuttles and planets.
     
    “What do you know about spaceships?” Jared snorted.
     
    “Last year I saw the final shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral. My Dad drove me down during the night and it was amazing. It flew up in to the sky, sending dust everywhere for miles and miles.”
     
    “Awesome!” Jared breathed his eyes wide.
     
    “See, she’s cool,” Arthur noted, gently placing a hand upon his young brother’s slight shoulder. 
     
    “Okay, she can come in.”
     
    Relieved, Demi came and joined them on the bed.
     
    ‘See that space ship model there,” Jared pointed to an impressive large model sat atop a chest of drawers.
     
    “Yeah, it’s big.”
     
    “My Dad bought me that after I lost my kidney. And he gets me something every time I have my treatment. Today he got me that book,” he glanced at a hardback book which was on the floor, about space exploration.
     
    “Nice. Have you read it yet?” Arthur asked.
     
    “Nope. I was hoping we could read it together.”
     
    “Yeah, definitely,” Arthur beamed. “How about tomorrow?”
     
    “I’ll have to check my schedule,” Jared told him sarcastically.
     
    “So why space?” Demi asked. “What makes it all so fascinating?”
     
    “I like the idea of being able to escape to another world where things would be different,” Jared admitted sadly.
     
    “I like that idea too,” Demi agreed.
     
    “And I reckon aliens would know how to cure renal failure! They know everything!”
     
    “I reckon you’re right,” Demi smiled.
     
    “How about we read your new book now, the three of us?”