Page 29 of Searching for Nova

“I go on them all the time,” he says, like he’s confused by the question. “My parents like to travel. We’ve been all over the country and gone to Europe twice. Last summer we went to Australia.”

Wow. I’ve never left Wisconsin, unless you count the one time we crossed into Minnesota because of a detour, but we didn’t stop.

“I’ve never been on a plane.”

“Really?” Easton says, like he can’t believe that’s even possible. It’s further proof of how different we are now, how our lives took completely different turns, and how I no longer fit in his world.

“Ted doesn’t like to go anywhere,” I explain. “We went to his brother’s funeral in La Crosse when I was eight. That’s the only time I’ve left Milwaukee since moving here.”

Easton gazes down at his hands which are resting on the table. He has that concerned look again. Is he finally realizing we have nothing in common anymore and can’t just go back to how we were? If he hasn’t figured that out yet, he will. People change. They grow up. They become like the people who raised them, and Easton was raised with rich people who took him on planes to Europe. I was raised by a man who thinks I’m his personal maid and cook and would kick me out if I didn’t do what he said.

“I’d suggest the cheeseburger,” Easton says, handing me a menu. “They have the best burgers in town.”

“I thought we were just getting shakes.”

“I’m getting both. I’m hungry. I already told my mom I wouldn’t be around for dinner.”

“Um, okay.” I look through the extensive menu. “I guess I could get one.”

If I were eating at home, dinner would be peanut butter on stale bread. There’s leftover steak in the fridge from Ted’s date last night, but he said it’s his and I can’t have it.

The waitress stops by to take our order. Easton and I both get a cheeseburger and decide to order our shakes later for dessert.

“Do you have brothers and sisters?” I ask Easton after the waitress leaves. I remembering him saying ‘we’ earlier when talking about his childhood, but he didn’t explain.

“I have a sister. She’s 15.” Easton picks up his glass of water and takes a drink.

“Was she adopted too?”

“No. She was kind of a surprise. My mom didn’t think she could get pregnant and then it happened.”

It’s weird to hear him call that lady his mom. I remember the day those people came to get him. They were wearing suits and looked really serious. It scared me. I thought they might be bad people. I didn’t want them taking Sean. I held onto him and wouldn’t let him go. He was mine, and those people couldn’t have him. But then they took him. I’ve hated those people ever since. I know I shouldn’t. They gave him a home, but they also took away my best friend.

“Do you guys get along?” I ask.

“Who? Me and Jenna?”

“Is that your sister? Jenna?”

“Yeah. We get along okay. We don’t spend a lot of time together. She’s always out shopping with her friends.”

“You don’t like shopping?” I say, teasing him.

“I don’t like wasting money on shit you don’t need. And trust me, she doesn’t need half the shit she has. Her closet’s so full she had to start using the one in the guest room.”

“That’s a lot of clothes.”

“Most of them she hasn’t even worn. They still have the tags on.”

I can’t even imagine that. My entire wardrobe would fit in a small suitcase. I wear the same things over and over until they either don’t fit or have too many holes to be worn anymore.

“What about your parents?” I ask. “Do you get along with them?”

“Most of the time. They’re really strict, which I don’t like, especially now that I’m older. They always want to know what I’m doing and where I’m going. It’s not like they have to worry. They know all my friends, and they know if I’m not home, I’m either with Paris or one of the guys.”

“How long have you dated Paris?”

“Since school started, so a couple months.”

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