Sidelined Read Online Free Page B

same dissatisfaction, unable to pinpoint the cause.
    When our extended lunch break ended none of us had any desire to move but we still had work to do so we got back to our tasks. We finally gave up for the day a little after six, when we almost had everything from Will’s kitchen ready to be moved. Jude, Will, Miguel and Bryce decided to go for a beer after their hard work, Radleigh went to visit his parents, and Freya was too tired to do anything other than sit down with a glass of wine. Since it was still pretty early, Leah and I opted to call in on Jesse. I hadn’t seen him in a few days; he would be climbing the walls by now.
    On Jesse’s doorstep we waited for the familiar hurried footsteps of Mrs Shaw. Sure enough, they soon padded down the hall.
    “Hi girls,” she said, surprise flashing across her face.
    “Hi,” Leah said. “We were headed home but wanted to stop by and visit Jesse on the way.”
    Mrs Shaw smiled. “Aren’t you sweet? Jesse’s not here right now. He’s gone out for a drive with his dad. He shouldn’t be too long. You’re welcome to come in and wait.”
    As we stepped inside Mrs Shaw said, “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Juice? Cupcakes?”
    “Coffee and cupcakes sound good.”
    “Just some water for me, thanks,” Leah answered.
    “Take a seat. I’ll be right back.”
    I couldn’t help smiling at the cosiness of Jesse’s parents’ place. The house wasn’t small, but it was no mansion either. An average home, comfortable and neat. I wished Jude would move us into a place like this. I wouldn’t be so lost when he wasn’t home if I could easily see every wall of every room and not have to walk half a mile from the lounge to the kitchen. I missed my childhood house; a place which used to hold so much comfort and love. That was one of the reasons I loved the Shaw house. It reminded me of what I used to have.
    “Oh, hello.”
    Jesse’s sister, Kayla, bounded in, probably looking for her mom, not expecting me and Leah.
    “Hey Kayla,” Leah said. “How are you doing?”
    Kayla shrugged. “Good, I guess.”
    Having spent so much time at Jesse’s lately, I’d gotten to know Kayla pretty well. Fifteen years old and totally kickass. I wasn’t like her at fifteen, so I admired her feistiness. However, I recognised at that moment she wasn’t feeling too feisty.
    “Okay, what’s wrong?”
    Kayla gave us a slightly uneasy look as if trying to decide whether to tell us. I quirked an eyebrow and her face broke into a smile.
    “I’m going to a party tonight. At my best friend’s house.”
    “And?”
    “The guy I like is going. I haven’t told mom boys will be there and I don’t know what to wear and, well, I’m freaking out.”
    Leah laughed. “What do you need help with? Telling your mum about the boys, or getting ready?”
    “I think I’m not telling her about the boys. I do need help getting ready, though but if Mom sees me too dressed up, she’ll know.”
    “Word of advice.” Leah leaned in towards her. “She already knows. Mums have a magic way of knowing everything.”
    Kayla nodded. “You’re probably right. But she doesn’t like me wearing make-up or anything and I want to look really good, so yeah, I need help.”
    Part of me wanted to grill her about the party. What kind of party? Would there be drinking? Parental supervision? Did she have any idea how disgusting and horny some teenage boys were? But all those questions were the reasons she didn’t want to tell her mom. Kayla was a smart girl. She could handle herself.
    I jumped to my feet and pulled Leah up with me. “Let’s go.”
    Kayla called out to her mom that we were going up to her room to choose an outfit for her. Mrs Shaw simply gave an amused chuckle in response. This wasn’t the first time Kayla had asked me to pick out clothes for a special occasion.
    Kayla had a real girly bedroom with pink stuff and posters of boy bands tacked to the walls. When we were out of earshot from her mom, I