Page 68 of Trusting Easton

“No! You shouldn’t be talking about me at all.”

“Exactly.” I stand up.

“What?” She scrunches up her nose.

“I just showed you what it feels like to have people telling stories about you that may or may not be true. You didn’t like it, and nobody else does either. So shut the hell up about Nova and me or I’m gonna start spreading stories about you.” I walk to the door, then turn back. “If I hear one word about Nova at school next week, the Kyler story goes public.”

“I didn’t do anything with him!” she yells as I leave her room.

I’m not actually going to spread that rumor about her and Kyler. I just needed her to understand what it feels like to have people talking about you and spreading rumors that aren’t true. The story about Nova being left at the store is true, but people at school don’t need to know about it. Jenna shouldn’t be saying anything about Nova, or me.

Standing outside Jenna’s door, I hear Talia talking.

“Were you really with Kyler?”

“No!” Jenna yells. “Why are you believing my stupid brother!”

“Then why would he say it?”

“To blackmail me into not talking about his girlfriend.”

“I thought she wasn’t his girlfriend.”

“Who cares? Forget Easton. And forget what he said. I am not dating Kyler. I hate him! Like you said, he can’t even talk right.”

“What if Easton tells people at school about you and Kyler?”

“There is no me and Kyler!”

“He still might tell people.”

“Only if we talk about Nova. We just won’t say anything about her. Her story is stupid anyway.”

That solves that problem, at least for now. I’ll have to listen to the gossip next week to make sure Jenna keeps quiet.

“Easton,” my mom says, coming down the hall. “I thought you were outside.”

“I’m heading out there in a few minutes. Still need to change.”

“Did you ask Jenna about lunch?”

“Yeah, she said she’s going to order something.”

My mom sighs. “She is not making some poor delivery guy go out in this weather.” She knocks on her door. “Jenna?”

She goes into Jenna’s room while I go in mine. I change into my oldest pair of jeans and put on a few layers of shirts. It’s still snowing and the wind is whipping around.

Nova can’t be living in her car when it’s this cold, and it’ll get even colder in the months ahead. I need to find her a place to stay, but where? None of my friends’ parents would let her stay with them. Maybe my mom could come up with someone. She knows a ton of people. So does my dad, but he’s not going to help Nova. He’d tell her to go to a shelter and get a job.

I’m worried about what’s going to happen when he gets home. My mom says she’ll talk to him, but what’s she going to say? She won’t be able to convince him to let Nova stay here, even if it’s just temporary.

I’m starting to realize my dad’s not the guy I thought he was. I no longer look up to him, and I don’t want to be anything like him.

17

Easton

It takes almostan hour to plow the driveway and sidewalk. By the time I’m done, more snow has fallen, leaving everything covered again.

---