Brooke (Orphans 3)

"It's true," I said, but he didn't look any more satisfied. "Let's forget the money," I added.

"Who cares about the money?" he muttered.

"Brody, give them twenty bucks," he ordered.

"All twenty? Why do I have to give them all of it?" he whined.

"Because you let a couple of girls from Agnes Fodor make us look like fools, that's why."

Brody dug into his pocket and came up with a wad of bills. He peeled off two tens and handed them to Lisa, who took the money with a fat smile on her face. She handed me a ten.

"I don't want it," I said.

"Because you lied, right?" Harrison shot at me.

"No, because I don't need money and because I played because I wanted to play for the fun of it."

"Right," he said. "Let's get something to eat," he told Lisa.

She couldn't stop smiling. Harrison retrieved his racquet, and we all went up to the house where a lunch had been set up for us. It looked lavish enough to be a wedding reception to me, but to them it was just another meal. There were so many choices-- meats, breads, salads, and different potatoes.

"Where are your parents?" Harrison asked Lisa. We sat at a patio table that had a tablecloth on it. Servants moved inconspicuously around us, cleaning up dishes, arranging foods.

"Golf club," she said between bites.

The food was delicious. I tried to remember my mealtime etiquette, but I was too hungry and started to eat too fast.

"Starving or something?" Harrison asked me.

"I forgot to eat breakfast," I said, even though I hadn't. It was something Lisa or one of the other girls would say. He accepted it.

"What took you so long to get here?" he inquired.

"Pardon?" I looked at Lisa.

"He means attending Agnes Fodor."

"Oh. I don't know. I just . . my parents just decided I belonged there," I said.

He stared at me and then smiled. "Those real?" he asked.

"What?" I asked.

"Those boobs, they real?"

"Harrison!" Lisa squealed.

"Just asking. Nothing wrong with asking, is there, Brody?"

Brody, who had his face buried in the lobster salad, looked up and shook his head. His cheeks bulged with food.

"Well?" Harrison pursue

d.

"It's none of your business," I said.

He laughed. "That usually means, no, right, Brody?" Brody nodded emphatically.