Кристин Ханна – Rirefly Lane / Улица Светлячков. Книга для чтения на английском языке (страница 24)
Tully took a step back. “Missing my college years? You mean going to dances in Tahitian costumes and shotgunning beer? Or dating guys like the nerds you seem to choose – most of them are only slightly smarter than a pet rock.”
“Maybe we should just agree to disagree…”
“You think I’m with him for my career, don’t you? To what – get better grades or a spot at the station?”
“Aren’t you? Just a little bit?” Kate knew instantly she shouldn’t have said it. “I’m sorry,” she said, reaching for her friend. “I didn’t mean it.”
Tully wrenched free. “Of course you meant it. Miss Perfect with the best family and the flawless grades. I don’t even know why you hang around with me: I’m such a slut career hound.”
“Wait!” Kate called out, but Tully was already gone, running down the dark street.
Chapter ten
Tully ran all the way to the bus stop on Forty-fifth. “Bitch,” she muttered, wiping her eyes.
When the bus came, she paid her fare and climbed aboard, muttering, “Bitch,” twice more as she found a seat and sat down.
How could Kate have said those things to her?
“Bitch,” she said again, but this time the word leaked out, sounding forlorn.
The bus stopped less than a block from Chad’s house. She rushed up the sidewalk toward the small Craftsman-style home and knocked on the door.
He answered almost instantly, dressed in a pair of old gray sweats and a Rolling Stones T-shirt[140]. She could tell by the way he smiled at her that he had expected her. “Hey, Tully.”
“Take me to bed,” she whispered throatily, pushing her hands up underneath his shirt.
They made their fumbling, kissing way through the house and to the small bedroom in the back. She stayed close to him, locked in his arms, kissing him deeply. She didn’t look at him, couldn’t, but it didn’t matter. By the time they fell onto the bed, they were both naked and greedy.
Tully lost herself and her pain in the pleasure of his hands and mouth, and when it was over and they lay there, entwined, she tried not to think of anything except how good he made her feel.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
She stared up at the plain, high-pitched ceiling that had become as familiar to her as her own dreams. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Tully.”
She rolled on to her side and stared at him, propping her head into her hand.
He touched her face in a gentle caress. “You and Kate fought about me, and I know how much her opinion means to you.”
The words surprised her, though they shouldn’t have. In the time they’d been sleeping together, she’d somehow begun to reveal pieces of herself to him. It had begun accidentally, a comment here or there after sex or while they were drinking, and somehow grown from there. She felt safe in his bed, free from judgment or censure. They were lovers who didn’t love each other, and that made talking easier. Still, she saw now that he’d listened to all of her babble and let the words form a picture. The knowledge of that made her feel less lonely all of a sudden, and even though it scared her, she couldn’t help being comforted by it.
“She thinks it’s wrong.”
“It is wrong, Tully. We both know that.”
“I don’t care,” she said fiercely, wiping her eyes. “She’s my best friend. She’s supposed to support me no matter what.” Her voice broke on the last words, the promise they’d made to each other all those years ago.
“She’s right, Tully. You should listen to her.”
She heard something in his voice, a barely-there quaver[141] that made her look deeply into his eyes. In them, she saw a sadness that confused her. “How can you say that?”
“I’m falling in love with you, Tully, and I wish I weren’t.” He smiled sadly. “Don’t look so scared. I know you don’t believe in it.”
The truth of that settled heavily on her, made her feel old suddenly. “Maybe someday I will.” She wanted to believe that, at least.
“I hope so.” He kissed her gently on the lips. “And now, what are you going to do about Kate?”
“She won’t talk to me, Mom.” Kate leaned back against the cushioned wall of the tiny cubby known as the phone room. She’d had to wait almost an hour for her turn on this Sunday afternoon.
“I know. I just hung up with her.”
“That you don’t like her boyfriend.”
“That’s all?” Kate had to be careful. If Mom found out Chad’s age, she’d blow a gasket and Tully would
“Is there more?”
“No,” she said quickly. “He’s all wrong for her, Mom.”
“Your vast experience with men tells you this?”
“She didn’t go to the last dance because he didn’t want to. She’s missing out on college life.”
“Did you really think Tully would be your average sorority girl? Come on, Katie. She’s… dramatic. Full of dreams. It wouldn’t hurt you[142] to have a little of that fire, by the way.”
Kate rolled her eyes. Always there was the subtle – and not so subtle – pressure to be like Tully. “We’re not talking about my future. Focus, Mom.”
“I’m just saying—”
“I heard you. So what do I do? She is avoiding me completely. I was trying to be a good friend.”
“Sometimes being a good friend means saying nothing.”
“I’m just supposed to watch her make a mistake?”
“Sometimes, yes. And then you stand by to pick up the pieces. Tully’s such a big personality; it’s easy to forget her background and how easily she can be hurt.”
“So what do I do?”
“Only you can answer that. My days of being your Jiminy Cricket[143] are long past.”
“No more life-is speeches, huh? Great. Just when I could have used one.”
Through the phone line came the hiss of exhaled smoke. “I do know that she’s going to be in the editing room at KVTS at one o’clock.”
“You’re sure?”
“That’s what she said.”
“Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Kate hung up and hurried back to her room, where she dressed quickly and put on a little makeup: concealer, mostly, to cover the zits that had broken out across her forehead since their fight.
She made her way across campus in record time. It was easy. This late in the quarter people were busy studying for finals. At the door to KVTS, she paused, steeling herself as if for battle, and then went inside.
She found Tully exactly where Mom had predicted: hunched in front of a monitor, logging the raw footage and interviews. At Kate’s entrance, she looked up.
“Well, well,” Tully said, standing up. “If it isn’t the head of the Moral Majority[144].”
“I’m sorry,” Kate said.
Tully’s face crumpled at that, as if she’d been holding her breath in and suddenly let it go. “You were a real bitch.”
“I shouldn’t have said all that. It’s just… we’ve never held back from each other.”
“So that was our mistake.” Tully swallowed, tried to smile. Failed.
“I wouldn’t hurt you for the world. You’re my best friend. I’m sorry.”
“Swear it won’t happen again. No guy will ever come between us.”
“I swear.” Kate meant it with every fiber of her being. If she had to staple her tongue down, she’d do it. Their friendship was more important than any relationship. Guys would come and go; girlfriends were forever. They knew that. “Now it’s your turn.”