Sixteen Read Online Free Page B

I'm carrying everything!" He caught up to her, and they put their things in the trunk of his red car. He started the Camry, and they were on their way. They talked about things that had happened at the picnic and other empty things, until Nikki thought of something.
    "You know, you've been to my house and met my parents, and I've met your dad, but I've never been to your house."
    "Really?" He glanced at her a moment, but returned his gaze to the road. "I could show you around really quick before I take you back home. How 'bout it?"
    Nikki shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
    He turned at the next intersection and within a few minutes they arrived. He pulled into the driveway and let her into the garage door, calling for his brother. She followed him into the kitchen, where he picked up a note lying on the counter.
    “What’s it say?”
    He turned to her. “Abigail and her dad are out shopping.” He shrugged and crumpled up the note before tossing it in the trash can by the kitchen door. “Guess we’ll do the grand tour, and you can meet my brother later. As you can see, this is the kitchen.” He gestured with his hands around each room, letting her peek around before moving on. She followed him he led her through the dining room and living room, further into the house. "This is Abigail's room... and this is my brother's room... and this is my sorry little space.”
    Nikki laughed at the cramped room, cluttered with CD cases and piles of laundry.
    Matt offered a sheepish grin. “I'm not much of an organized person, I'm afraid.” They continued with her tour. “This is the other bedroom. My sister-in-law, Lindsey, wanted to make into a guest room, but my brother felt a game room would get more use, especially after we made arrangements for me to live here. So he made it a game room, but he made sure to put in a twin bed and keep the closet open in case any guests actually did come. So far, only Lindsey's sister and my dad have ever slept in it." They made their way back into the living room, Nikki taking everything in.
    "And that's the grand tour." He held up his hands as if to say ta-da then walked into the kitchen. "You want something to drink before we leave?"
    "Sure."
    "We have milk, water, Dr. Pepper, and a few Slice sodas. Oh, and apple juice."
    "I'd like a Slice, please." She sat down on the sofa and slid off her coat. "This is a nice house."
    "Yeah, my brother was lucky to get it." He handed the soda to her and sat down in an armchair, opening a Dr. Pepper for himself. Except for a single lamp sitting on an end table by the sofa, the house was dark. Their voices were the only sounds in the night. It felt as though Nikki and Matt were the only people in the world awake. "If he'd waited another day, he would have lost it to another couple who had been to the same open house."

 
     
     
    "We talked for a while, ended up sitting together on the sofa. He played with my hair, and we started kissing.” Nicole clasped her hands together in her lap and looked down at them as her voice grew softer with each word. “One thing led to another. Eventually, it was midnight -- I’d been there nearly two hours -- and we were on the floor when the phone rang. Matt answered it. My mom found his number in the telephone book after several wrong numbers and a little research. She demanded that I come home. I got dressed and Matt drove me home. I didn't speak to him again, avoided him for weeks."
    "But... when did you find out? When did you get married? What about your mom?" Claire prodded her mother to finish the story.
    Nicole sighed. This was the hardest part to tell, but Claire needed to hear it. She should have told her years ago, but she just couldn’t sit down and do it. Claire never showed interest in her mother’s stories anyway. Now she had to finish the story, for her daughter's sake. "Matt kept calling and emailing. He even would come to the house. I told my parents not to let him in -- that I didn't want to see him again.