Read Online Imaginary Enemy by Julie Gonzalez - Free Book Online

remarks in my head? Do you enjoy embarrassing me? Get off when people laugh at me? I wish just once you’d clamp my big mouth shut.
    Ever the pest,
Gabriel

    As the weeks passed, Emma and I became close. Though we were outwardly very different, we got along well. There were things about her that reminded me of Sharp—her easygoing attitude, her curiosity, her high expectations, and her integrity. She had no trouble admitting her flaws.
    That was probably what surprised me most about Emma—the fact that she actually
had
flaws. She was such a stellar student everyone expected perfection from her, but she had as many insecurities as I did. She worried about being liked. It bothered her that she was fanatically conscientious; she just couldn’t not be. That was why my slacker attitude fascinated her.
    I think losing our flag-raising job liberated her a bit, even though, after the fact, she was deeply ashamed.
    It never would have happened if Bryan Latham wasn’t so annoying. He always picked on people, embarrassing them with crude remarks. One day in the middle of their English class, he made a comment about Emma’s breasts. She was mortified. I found her crying in the bathroom between classes.
    “Dry your tears,” I commanded. “Don’t waste your energy on him. No. What we’ll do is make him pay.”
    “Jane, I can’t do that. I’d never say something rude in front of everyone.”
    “There are other ways,” I said. “Leave it to me.”
             
    Emma and I walked down the hall. “Wow, your room’s really purple,” she said, gaping in the doorway.
    “Yeah. My little sister and I share a room. She chose the color,” I lied. I tossed my backpack onto my bed, causing dust flecks to float in the air above my comforter—another bad choice. It looked like a box of fluorescent crayons had exploded in a neon nuclear war.
    “It’s pretty wild,” Emma said diplomatically.
    “I’m repainting it soon. I haven’t yet decided what color. Got any suggestions?”
    “What’s your favorite color?”
    “Red.”
    “That could be just as bad as purple,” she said, falling onto my bed.
    “Well, tomorrow’s the big day,” I said, changing the subject.
    “I’m not sure we should do it, Jane.”
    “Emma, please. We agreed.” I spread an old sheet on the floor and placed a box of markers beside it. “Come on. You’re a better artist than I am.” So we started working, which set our plan into action.
    The next day, we didn’t raise the flag. We raised a less-than-flattering portrait of Bryan Latham drawn in marker on that old sheet. In case anyone was uncertain as to who the portrait represented, his name was written on it in bold black letters.
    Mr. Freeman fired us from our daily flag-raising duties, telling us we were lucky he was too tolerant to suspend us. He made us apologize to Bryan, which I did with my fingers crossed behind my back.
    “It was worth it,” I told Emma. “We only had six more days of that job anyhow.”
    “I dunno, Jane. My parents are so angry and humiliated.”
    “They’ll get over it. Mine always do.”

    “Why are you all sitting here on such a beautiful day when you could be out fishing?” Dad asked. It was the third day of spring break, and Luke, Zander, and I were zoned out in front of
Godzilla vs. Megalon.
We had a collection of monster movies and never tired of them.
    “We’re having a Godzilla marathon today,” said Zander, stuffing a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
    “No, you’re not. You’re all going fishing with me.”
    “Fishing?” asked Luke.
    “Yes, on my boat.”
    Luke and Zander jumped up, totally blocking my view of Megalon, who was shooting a bolt of lightning at Godzilla from the single horn on his head. “You got a boat?” Luke exclaimed.
    “The
Annika Elise.
When I introduced you to her, I said she’d one day be mine. Now she is.”
    “When did you do this?” Luke asked.
    “Just signed the papers. Well, what are you waiting for?