The Forgetting Read Online Free

you.”
    â€œI miss you guys too,” I said, trying not to sound glum but failing. “It sucks in here.”
    Ella grinned. “Well, this oughta cheer you up.” She hoisted her backpack onto the bed and slid out a familiar square, black case.
    â€œMy oboe!” I snatched it from her hands and held it tight against me. All was right with the world again. “How did you—”
    â€œWe have our ways,” Ella said, tossing her hair back.
    â€œWe snuck into your room when we were dropping off flowers,” Toni said.
    â€œToni!” Ella punched her arm. “I wanted her to think there had been plans and blueprints and secret meetings.”
    I laughed. “Thanks, you guys. You have no idea…” I stroked the brass rivets on the corners of the case. “I don’t feel like me without it.”
    â€œWell, you can’t afford to lose the practice time,” Ella said. “I am not rooming with some random stranger at Juilliard.” Ella played flute. We’d been concocting our Juilliard plan since the fifth grade.
    I bumped my knee against hers. “Hey, congrats on getting into the Roslindale Symphony.”
    â€œThanks. I bet I can get you in too.”
    â€œReally? But I missed the auditions.”
    Ella tossed her hair. “So what? They know how good you are. You’ll have to go in and play a little something for them, but that’s no big deal.”
    â€œIt might be a big deal getting past my parents, though.” I flopped back onto my pillows. “You guys won’t believe what they’re pulling.”
    â€œWhat?” asked Toni.
    â€œThey said they’re keeping me out of school for at least a month after I get home.”
    â€œAre you freaking kidding?” Ella shrieked. “ Why? ”
    I blew a hard breath out through my lips. The discussion had gone down that morning, with me being overruled by several variations on We’re the adults and we know what’s best . “My doctor doesn’t think it’s a good idea for me to go back right away. ‘It’s too stressful,’” I said in a high-pitched mimic of Dr. Harrison’s holier-than-thou tone. “And of course they’re following her advice to the letter. My dad’s getting one of his professors to tutor me.”
    Toni’s eyes widened. “Seriously? That’s amazing.”
    â€œ Amazing? Uh, no.”
    â€œGeorgie! You’re going to have a Harvard professor tutoring you. What kid at our school wouldn’t kill for that?”
    I scrunched up my face. “Not me. I’d rather be in classes with all of you.” It wasn’t just that I wanted to go to school; I needed to. School was my second home. I fit in there. It was part of who I was. How could I return to my old self without it?
    â€œWill you still get to graduate with us?” Ella asked.
    â€œI freaking hope so.” I shook my head. “I can’t believe this happened and screwed everything up.”
    â€œGeorgie, everything’s going to be fine.” Toni put her hand on my knee. “I know this wasn’t part of the plan—”
    â€œThe plan, the plan!” Ella said, laughing. “God forbid anything gets in the way of Georgie and her plans!”
    I gave her an evil look. “Shut up. You’d be the same way if it happened to you.”
    She put her hand over her mouth in mock offense. “I like to think I’m a little more devil-may-care than you.”
    â€œI can be devil-may-care,” I said. Ella and Toni exchanged a look and burst out laughing. I kicked at them halfheartedly. “Fine, whatever. So I like to plan everything out. Big deal.” I laid my hand flat on the pebbled surface of my oboe case. “As long as it doesn’t affect my Juilliard audition. That’s all the matters.”
    Ella squeezed my arm. “You have nothing to worry about. You’re as good as