It was a thing out of place and then some. Carly glared for a time, thinking that would be enough. But Jen never bothered to look up. Carly cleared her throat with exaggerated volume. Nothing. “Excuse me…” Jen looked up, but not all the way. Not enough to actually break eye contact with the text of her book and transfer that contact to Carly. “Yeah?” “What are you doing?” “Reading.” “Why in my room?” “Teddy’s putting up the Christmas lights.” “And that’s supposed to explain it how?” “Right outside my bedroom window.” “So?” “So…it’s very…distracting.” “Don’t look.” “He keeps talking to me.” “Poor baby.” “He’s trying to tell me all those same corny jokes again.” “I like his jokes.” “Nobody likes his jokes. Besides, I’m trying to study for my history test.” “It’s Christmas vacation.” “Not forever, it isn’t. And not everybody puts everything off to the last minute. Like you do, Carly.” “Why not study downstairs?”
