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Oy, I forgot Matan filled my hair with white, purple, and yellow wildflowers. I must look like a clown.
"Your father wanted me to tell you everyones at my house eating what you call lunch. If you want to join them, follow me. "
I step beside him as hes walking, but then I stop. "Why didnt he tell me himself?"
Avi shoots me a withering glance. "He also wanted me to apologize for watching you undress the first night you were here. "
"Well?"
"Israelis dont apologize for what theyre not sorry for. "
Now Im really getting riled up. "Youre not going to apologize?"
He looks at me straight in the eye. "What I saw was beautiful and natural, so why should I say sorry?"
CHAPTER 12
Boys are either jerks or clueless. Take your pick.
"Ron, I need to call home and my cell phone wont work. " Ive been in Israel almost six weeks and need to call home once again. First of all, Mitch is back from his camping trip and I need to talk to him. Second of all, I need to call Mom and Jessica.
Ron is sitting on the couch watching some news channel in Hebrew. Uncle Chime is with him, along with the corkscrew-haired Matan.
Matan is naked and hes been like that for the better part of my trip so far. Who am I to bring it up to them that their son isnt dressed and his pee-wee is dangling out for all the moshav to see. Youd think they would have noticed theyre not living in a nudist colony.
"I think your mom was going out of town," Ron says, his face still turned toward the television.
"So Ill call a friend. "
"Whats the number," he says as he heads toward the phone in the kitchen.
Obviously, like everywhere else around here, theres no privacy.
I recite Mitchs number and then he hands me the phone. I pull up a chair in front of the refrigerator and park myself there for the call.
"Hello," a scratchy voice answers.
"Mitch?" I say.
"Yeah?"
"Its Amy. "
"Huh?"
"You know, your girlfriend," I say, starting to get pissed.
"Hey, babe. Sorry I havent called, I got back late last night. Do you know what time it is?" he says, his voice still ragged.
"Im in Israel, Mitch. And no, I dont know what time it is in Chicago because Im halfway across the globe. "
"Wait, you lost me. Israel?"
"Are you sleeping or listening to me? Cause I can only make one call here and Ive chosen to call you. Its like jail. "
I hear him yawn and I can tell hes attempting to sit up instead of lie in bed. Hopefully now hell pay some attention to what Im saying.
"Mitch?"
"Wait, I gotta pee. "
I have an urge to bang my head against the wall.
"Cant it wait?"
"No. "
Im trying to disguise my annoyance in front of the rest of the family.
"Well, can you hurry it up a bit? This is long distance, you know. "
"Im tryin, babe. "
In the background I hear a stream of pee hitting water and Mitch lets out a long, satisfying sigh. I dont know if I should feel flattered he feels comfortable enough to pee while hes on the phone with me, or grossed out.
"You done?" I ask after I hear a loud flush.
"Yeah," he says. "Im back in my room. "
"You didnt wash your hands. "
I mean, if I heard him pee and flush I would have definitely heard the sound of him washing his hands.
"You just told me to hurry up. If I wash my hands I have to put the phone down. You wanna wait?"
"I guess not. Just remember to wash them when you get off with me," I say. "And then disinfect the phone with antibacterial spray. "
"Leave it to you, Amy, to tell it like it is. "
Unfortunately, Snotty opens the front door and walks in the house with Ofra. Avi, Doo-Doo, and Moron follow them into the house. Great. Just my luck. Now I have a bigger audience to eavesdrop on my conversation with my boyfriend.
Out of the corner of my eye I catch Avi looking at me, his jaw tense. I havent talked to him since he purposely didnt apologize for watching me undress. I think weve been avoiding each other, actually. Which is just fine with me.
I turn my chair around so Im facing the wall and say quietly into the phone, "You know what I like about you?"
"Shit," Mitch says, "I just stubbed my toe on my skateboard. "
Its not the response I was aiming for.
"You okay?" I ask, trying not to lose my patience.
"I think Im bleeding. Wait a minute. "
As I wonder how much a phone call costs per minute from Israel to the United States, I twirl the cord around my finger.
Its hard while Im waiting not to turn around to catch a glimpse of what the others are doing. Theyre talking loudly in Hebrew.
I cant stand it anymore. I take a glimpse at Avi. Hes wearing a black T-shirt with some Hebrew lettering on it and faded jeans ripped in both knees. Hes also wearing a silver-linked chain around his wrist.
Now, Ive seen boys wear jewelry before and havent thought it enhances masculinity in the least. But Avi wears the bracelet like its a manly accessory. He makes the other guys look dorky for not having a silver link chain bracelet on their wrists.
When my gaze travels up, I feel like a Peeping Tom when I realize hes caught me checking him out. Lifting the bracelet hand, he gives me a mock salute.
I can feel my face turn red and my blood starts to pound loudly in my head. Hes seen me check him out. I want to die now, especially when he then walks up to Snotty and grabs her hand. That hand holding Snottys is the same one that held my snake-guts-covered foot two weeks ago.
"Okay, Im back," Mitch says. "No blood, but it still hurts like a bitch. "
I forgot I was even on hold and, to be honest, wasnt paying attention to what Mitch just said. Turning back around, I giggle softly into the phone. Avi is trying to concentrate on Snotty, but I know for a fact hes listening to my end of the conversation.
"Whats so funny?" Mitch asks. "Im hurting here and all you can do is laugh?"
Have you ever tried to make other people think youre having a good time when youre not? What sucks is when the person youre with doesnt get it. They need to play along, but you cant tell them for fear of being discovered. Play along with me, Mitch.
"I cant wait to go camping with you," I say.
Let Snotty and all of them realize I have someone back home waiting for me. For some reason Ill feel like less of a loser here for hanging out by myself every day.
"Whats wrong with you?" he says. "You hate camping. "
"Of course I do," I say, then giggle again.
Giggling doesnt come naturally to me, but I do a pretty good job of making it sound authentic. I think.
Although my boyfriend now thinks Im a freakoid.
"What about our tickets to the BoDeans concert at Ravinia for next weekend?" he says. "I spent fourteen bucks on those tickets, along with the extra thirty I spent on the Renaissance Faire tickets. You said youd go with me. "
Thankfully, the group heads outside. I let out a breath because I can finally be myself again.
I turn back around in the chair and stare at a flying spider-like thingy near the ceiling.
"Yeah, well that was before I got sucked into going to a country infested with
Ferragamo-stealing mutts and flying spiders. "
"Huh?"
"Forget it. I wish I could be there with you, really I do. "
God, I hope he doesnt ask Roxanne Jeffries to go out with him. Shes his next-door neighbor and has been flirting with him all year. He even told me she undresses with the curtains wide open.
"Say, Ive got an awesome idea. Take Jessica. Shes not doing anything this summer except working at a day camp for kids. Shell go with you. " And shell keep an eye on you for me.
"Dont you think itd be weird if I go out with your b
est friend?"
"Its not like itd be romantic or anything. "
Jessica doesnt even think Mitch is cute. Shes told me he reminds her of a poodle on Prozac. Everyones entitled to an opinion. Mom always says, "Opinions are like assholes, everybodys got one and everyone thinks everyone elses stinks. " Its true.
"I guess I could call her," he finally says.
"Tell her I miss her. "
"Sure. When are you coming back?"
If I can manipulate Ron, very soon. "Before school starts, but who knows. " We both go to Chicago Academy, a private high school.
He yawns. "Have fun. "
As if. "You, too. Dont miss me too much. "
He gives a short laugh before saying, "Bye, Amy. "
I think I hear the phone click before I answer, "Bye. "
CHAPTER 13
A star is just a star. Or is it?
Its nine oclock the next morning and Im bored, as usual. I eat breakfast, alone again, as I watch Sofia sit in her chair. Snotty came home late last night, her friends all laughing and making noise at two oclock in the morning. I hate to admit it, but Im sorry I stayed home. With the exception of Snotty and Avi, hanging with the group is kind of fun.
"Your aba wants you to go to the sheeps. Hes waiting for you," Sofia says.
"I dont want to. "
I know I sound like a little kid, but why go into detail and hurt the ol woman.
"He misses you. "
What? He wouldnt miss me even if I disappeared from this earth.
"I dont think so," I say as I stuff hummus into a pita and take a bite.
"He loves his homeland and wants to share it with you. "
I have a mouth full of hummus as I blurt out, "Why doesnt he move back here if he loves it so much?"
"I bet you know the answer to that question, Amy. He stays away because of you. Youre his family. His future. His blood. Wherever you are is his home now. "
I kneel beside her while I listen to her voice. Its soothing, and when she talks it almost sounds like a lullaby. Im loud. My mom is loud. I talk loud. I walk loud. Im just a loud person. But this old lady is like cotton, everything about her is soft and quiet. She leans over and takes something out of her pocket.
"Hold out your hand," she says.
I hold my hand out. She drops something into it and gently closes my fingers over my palm.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Look at it. "
I open my fist and look at a small gold and diamond Jewish star glittering in the center of my palm. Its attached to a thin gold necklace. The star is smaller than a nickel, just big enough to know what it is, but small enough to be almost. . . private.
I dont know what to say to her. Being Jewish isnt a part of me. Mom doesnt believe in religion so Ive never been to church except for my cousins wedding. Ive never been to a synagogue, either, except for Jessicas bat mitzvah.
"Id like you to have it," Safta says. "Its called the Magen David, the star of David. "
Man, I want it. I dont know why I want it, but I do. Im not Jewish and would feel like a huge faker if I did take it. I mean, I could never wear it or anything. Its just so shiny and glittery and it actually means something important to Safta.
"I cant take this," I say. When I note the disappointment in the eyes that are an exact replica of mine I add, "Its too beautiful. "