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Back Anne of Greenville Save as PDF
Chapters (31)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. Dedication
  4. NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
  5. ONE
  6. TWO
  7. THREE
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  31. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I curled up on my side. I could hear Millie stomping around in the kitchen. Pots and dishes clattering. Time for a late-night stress snack.

GILLY

I don’t know if that meant go look at the moon, but I did. Even though I was mad at her. It was outside my window like a spotlight. Downstairs I heard Millie humming and burning toast, my second waft of smoke on another horrible day in Greenville.

TWENTY-ONE

Berry didn’t text me back that night.

I called her twice before I left for school the next day (calling, the last and final straw in communication), but no answer.

I snuck out of the house early—Lucy wasn’t there when I got up and Millie was on the phone—and got to school before the bell. I spotted Berry in the parking lot, doing tricks on her skateboard. The sky was gray and annoyed, with little clouds turning into even thicker clouds with every minute.

I ran over, darting around cars. “Hey.”

Berry jumped off her board. She was wearing a green sweater with an angry set of eyes on the front. “Hey.”

“Did you get my text about the money? The lawn? I’m going to pay for it.”

“Yeah.” Berry toed her board forward with her boot. “Yeah, my parents were pretty pissed when they got the email.”

“I mean, we didn’t do it,” I said.

“Sure.” Berry kicked her board forward. “But we shouldn’t have gone to that party.”

“I know.” I sighed. “And I’m sorry they were shitty to you and I like dragged you into the worst idea ever. Like honestly I got basically screamed at by my parents about it yesterday. Like about ‘my choices.’ Even though Tanner is clearly a fucking liar.”

I guess I expected Berry to be mad about the email, too. She just stared at me like I had a glowing orb on my forehead.

“They’re making me quit the play,” I added. “Because of the email. And a bunch of other things, I guess. The pizza fight. All that stuff.”

Silence.

Horrible, uncomfortable, so thick you could cut it with a knife, silence.

“Okay, well. . .” I took a step backward. “Anyway. . .look, I’m sorry I brought you. And I’m sorry—”

Berry looked at me with stone eyes. “You really don’t get it.”

“Get what?”

Berry’s cheeks turned their traditional bright pink. “You don’t have to be sorry that I came to the party with you. I decided to go. I wanted to go with you. I wanted to make sure you would be okay.”

“I know. I mean, thanks. I really appreciate it. I mean, I appreciate, like, everything you do to be a good friend. You’re the best friend, Berry.”

Berry’s eyes flicked up to the sky just as the first drops of rain started falling. “You don’t get it.”