Waiting Fate Read Online Free Page A

Gigi hadn’t lost any of her enthusiasm since the last time Ivy had talked to her, which had been… five years ago? Ivy couldn’t remember.
    Everything Gigi said was bubbly and exciting, even if the subject wasn’t — her tone made you believe it was. She’d been that way for as long as Ivy could remember. It was hard to believe the world sucked when she was talking to Gigi.
    She paced across the room. She was nervous, even to talk to her friends. She blamed the phone phobia.
    “How are you? What ya been up to?” Gigi asked. Ivy could hear people in the background. Lots of people. So that hadn’t changed either — Gigi was always surrounded by friends. People just loved her.
    “I’m good. I’m… back in Utah.”
    “Serious?” Gigi squealed, “For how long?”
    “For good.” Silence. Ivy swallowed. This is awkward.
    “I’m so glad. We need to get together.” Gigi was suddenly talking over the awkwardness, and around it, smothering it until it didn’t exist anymore.
    “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Um, remember how we used to play tennis?” Ivy had worn a path in the carpet and realized Sadi was following her back and forth. Grimacing, she sank to the floor and let the dog collapse next to her, laying her head on Ivy’s lap. She stroked Sadi’s fur and felt just a little less terrified.
    “We should so go play tennis. Let’s do it! When do you want to?” Gigi asked and Ivy blew out a breath.
    “Uh. Well. Anytime? I guess?” Yeah, Ivy, you sound brilliant. Rocket scientist and everything.
    “Okay. Let me check my planner and I’ll call you right back. Maybe we can go tomorrow. I have class until four but maybe after that,” Gigi said.
    They hung up, and Ivy let her head fall back against the wall. “Not being a hermit is exhausting,” she told Sadi.
    Ten minutes later, Gigi texted her. Tomorrow — six pm?
    Ivy studied the text and frowned. At six meant her mom would have to put Desee to bed. It also meant an hour more that she would be away from Desee while she was awake. Can we do seven? She wrote back.
    Minutes later and Gigi texted again. Works for me!
    “Okay.” Ivy nodded to herself. Sadi gave her a supportive doggy-grin.

 
    Chapter Two
     
    Playing tennis was an adventure, to say the least. Ivy had been playing since she was nine, but having a baby and living in Alaska with no babysitter and no one to play with had made her a little rusty. She felt clumsy and slow and uncoordinated, but Gigi was right there with her. They spent more time laughing at each other than they did playing. Ivy felt her heart heal a little bit more. Maybe laughter was the best medicine.
    “I’m not going to be able to lift a pencil in class tomorrow. Taking notes is gonna be a problem,” Ivy groaned as she shuffled back to her car.
    Gigi was still bouncing, in much better shape than Ivy could even hope to be. “You aren’t going home now, are you?” she asked, pulling her blond hair up in a messy bun.
    Ivy stopped, swinging her racquet back and forth, pretending every movement didn’t feel like a unique form of torture. She nodded her head. “Yeah. I have homework. Lots and lots of homework.”
    “Oh! I have the greatest idea!” Gigi grabbed Ivy’s shoulders and shook her in excitement, and Ivy felt her head bob like a dislocated doll. For a second, Ivy stiffened, panicking before she could convince herself that Gigi was not going to hurt her. She pretended to giggle to hide her discomfort. Gigi continued before Ivy could get a word in. “Remember Jay from high school?”
    “Of course,” Ivy said. She and Jay had always been pretty good friends, at least until graduation, when she’d fallen off the earth.
    “We do homework at his house all the time! You should come with me tonight.”
    “He’s in college?” Ivy raised an eyebrow.
    “Yeah. To be a dentist.” Gigi bounced on her toes. They were roughly the same height, and Ivy forgot to feel short when they were together. Gigi’s