With the way you snowboard, it’s a wonder you didn’t fall on yours. Darby clamped her lips down on the retort, keeping it firmly corralled.
She shrugged. “Oh, well. Sounds like you all had a good time.” She added a smile to make sure everyone knew she didn’t feel left out.
Although, of course, she did, and she couldn’t help wondering if anyone (well, other than Cole, who was clueless) would have wanted her along even if she hadn’t broken her nose. And, really, since when did a broken nose stop a girl from snowboarding?
“Hey, we should play spoons,” Cole said.
“Oh, yeah,” agreed Pete.
Soon all of them were at the dining table, playing the card equivalent of musical chairs, trying to match cards and grab from a pile of spoons that was one short. Darby always excelled at the game.
Not this time. She got in a battle over a spoon with Arielle, each tugging fiercely. Arielle had a great sense of timing. She let go just when Darby was pulling with the most force, and Darby wound up whacking herself. In the nose. Oh, look, the stars were out. She said one of those words her mother would have washed her mouth out for saying when she was a kid and probably still would.
“Gross. Your nose is bleeding,” Arielle cried.
Lovely.
As Darby dashed for the kitchen and a paper towel, she could hear the little snot say, “Sorry.” She knew that tone of voice. Itreallysaid, “No, I’m not.”
“You okay, Dar?” Cole called from the other room.
Yeah, I like standing with my head back, catching blood in a paper towel. “I’m fine,” she called back. “No harm.” One foul.
The game went on without her, and by the time her nose felt better and she replaced her sweater with a clean one, everyone had moved into the den to stream a movie.
“We need popcorn to go with it,” Cole said. “You guys want something to drink?”
Of course everyone did, and both Erika and Darby wound up helping Cole get the snacks ready. Meanwhile, Arielle plopped herself on the couch next to Gregory and didnothing to help. Sheesh. Even at her meanest, Darby had the manners to help out at a party.
By the time the movie was over, she was tired. She was especially tired of Arielle.
“She’ll have Collier tied down by Valentine’s Day,” Cole predicted.
Poor Gregory. “He deserves way better than her,” Darby said.
“Yeah? Like who?”
“Dar, of course,” Erika said with a sneer. “I’m going to bed.”
Her brother, who paid little enough attention to undercurrents, could see that the sisterly love wasn’t happening. “Better sleep with one eye open,” he advised Darby.
Darby sighed and followed her sister up to bed.
“Arielle should have been your sister,” said Erika, folding down the covers. “You two are exactly alike.” Then Erika shut off the bedside lamp and plunged them into darkness.
Ugh.
Mom didn’t have much planned for the next day, which left the siblings free to do whatever they wanted. Cole vanished with some of his friends, and Erika and one of hers went shopping. Darby... read and watched old episodes ofFriendson her phone with Jackal by her side. Pathetic.
Her present for Erika arrived that afternoon, and she showed it to Mom. “Think she’ll like it?”
“It’s lovely. Of course she will. And, more important, she’ll appreciate the sentiment behind it,” Mom said. It was encouraging, although maybe not accurate.
Darby set the ornament on Erika’s pillow, hoping her sister wouldn’t throw it in the garbage. She filled more of her day by writing in her journal—I’m pathetic. I have no idea how to erase thepast!—scrolling through her Facebook feed, snacking on cookies (who needed a waist, anyway?), and generally feeling sorry for herself. When it got late enough in the afternoon, she texted Josh, figuring he’d be off work.
What are U doing?
Going out with Vince and Lissa.
