- 4.
“I’m her friend, Mary!”
The person on the other end sounded
surprised, then annoyed.
Jake paused for a second, then his face
hardened.
“You’re that friend of hers, right, Mary? She
always loved hanging around with you.”
“Let Sarah get on the phone.”
I was surprised.
Jake remembered Mary, my best friend.
I thought he never paid attention to
<
I thought he never paid attention to me.
Mary was sarcastic.
“Oh, look, it’s Mr. Smith. I thought maybe you
were calling because you have a heart, but
nope, you’re still a jerk. All rich people are like
you, right?”
Jake stayed calm, shrugging on the coat his
assistant handed him.
He laughed. “Mary, there isn’t a person more
of a jerk than your friend Sarah Smith. So,
no.”
“Yeah, the world’s most wonderful person is your precious Lily. Are you happy now, Mr.
Smith?”
Mary was angry, talking fast.
“You’re trying to make Lily famous, funding
this awful show. You want Sarah to be a joke,
right? You haven’t hurt her enough?”
Mary paused, then said, “Honestly, Sarah
wasn’t a jerk enough. She should have
watched you get kidnapped!”
Jake’s eyes widened. His hands clenched into
fists.
I was shocked, too.
Memories came flooding back.
Jake had snuck me out to the park without
telling Mom and Dad.
Г
Some big guy tried to drag him into a van.
I bit the guy and started screaming, finally
getting the attention of a couple of strangers.
The guy panicked and grabbed me.
I was four. Jake was ten.
Jake’s face turned cold. “Who do you think
you are, talking to me like that?”
“Tell Sarah to get on the damn phone!”
“Yeah, you’re high and mighty and we’re
poor. We’re not good enough to talk to you.”
Mary was obviously scared of Jake, but she
stood her ground. “If you want Sarah to talk
Mary, you idiot!
Why are you arguing with him?
I panicked.
I saw Jake’s face turn dark.
I was worried about Mary.
I didn’t want her to get hurt.
Mary was just a regular person. She couldn’t
go up against Jake.
Then Jake took a deep breath, surprisingly
calm.
Liam spoke up. “Let me try.”
