Page 161 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“She sounded fine when she left.” Alex says on a forced gruff laugh.

“Okay.” I twist the phone cord around my finger. “Tell her I called?”

“Sure.”

“And Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t tell her I was checking on her.”

He laughs. “Why?”

“Because then she’ll know I was worried.”

“That’s usually how checking on someone works, Jade.”

“Shut up.”

He laughs again before hanging up.

I set the phone back in its cradle, still smiling. Tessa is at Lucas’s. Somehow, that makes me feel better.

I grab my English book from the stack beside me and settle into the chair. Advanced Senior English. The words at the top of the reading assignment stare back at me.

The Great Gatsby.

I flip open the book, scan the first few pages, and start reading.

By Sunday night, I'm in my closet planning this week’s outfits, toweling my hair dry from a shower.

I hear Dad answer the phone before I have a chance to.

He yells up the stairs, “Baby girl. It's Tommy. Pick up your phone.”

My stomach flips before I can stop it. “Got it, Dad, thanks.”

When he hangs up, I smile. “Hello?”

“Hey, pretty girl.”

Just hearing his voice makes me smile.

30

FILMS AND FOOD

Tommy

By the time I get to Lucas’s house, the game tape is already running. Not that I expected him to wait while I was with my father driving all over doing fuel inventory and watching him interact with his managers, who should be doing the dipping instead of me.

The television throws flickering light across the living room, the other team lined up on the field in green jerseys. Lucas has claimed one end of the couch, with a bowl of grapes beside him, almonds on a napkin, and a plate of apple slices with peanut butter sitting on the coffee table.

I look at the food, then at him. “This is depressing.”

Lucas doesn't look away from the television. “It's food.”

“It's punishment pretending to be food.”