Her and Me and You

By Lauren Strasnick

I met Fred first.

Fred: Hot. Enigmatic. Alex’s first friend in her lonely new town. Maybe her first…everything.

I met Adina the following Monday.

Adina: Fred’s twin sister. Cold. Troubled. Trouble.

I kissed him.

She pressed her mouth to my mouth.

People warn Alex to steer clear of the twins, but Alex is drawn to them. She wants to be part of their crazy world…no matter the consequences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Release date: Oct 5, 2010
• ISBN: 9781442409491

Lauren Strasnick

Lauren Strasnick grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, now lives in Los Angeles, California, and is a graduate of Emerson College and the California Institute of the Arts MFA Writing Program. She wrote her first short story, “Yours Truly, The Girls from Bunk Six,” in a cloth-bound 5x4 journal, in the fifth grade. She is the author of Then You Were Gone, Nothing Like You, and Her and Me and You. Find out more at LaurenStrasnick.com, and follow her on Twitter at @LaurenStrasnick.

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HER AND ME AND YOU

Also by Lauren Strasnick

Nothing Like You

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people,

or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales

or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

SIMON PULSE

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

www.SimonandSchuster.com

First Simon Pulse hardcover edition October 2010

Copyright © 2010 by Lauren Strasnick

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

SIMON PULSE and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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Designed by Mike Rosamilia

The text of this book was set in Adobe Garamond.

Manufactured in the United States of America

2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Strasnick, Lauren.

Her and me and you / by Lauren Strasnick. — 1st Simon Pulse hardcover

ed. p. cm.

Summary: Struggling with family problems but determined to make new

friends after moving and missing Evie her best friend since childhood,

Alex is attracted to Fred and he to her despite the jealous meddling of

Fred's twin sister, Adina.

ISBN 978-1-4169-8266-1 (hardcover : alk. paper)

[1. Coming of age—Fiction. 2. Family problems—Fiction.

3. Interpersonal relations—Fiction. 4. Brothers and sisters—Fiction.

5. Twins—Fiction. 6. Sex—Fiction. 7. Best friends—Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.S89787He 2010

[Fic]—dc22

2010007188

ISBN 978-1-4424-0949-1 (eBook)

For my dad. And for Aaron.

HER AND ME AND YOU

1.

I met Fred first.

At a party on Orchard Ave. that Charlotte Kincaid took me to.

Him: Need a beer?

Me: I’ve already got one.

Well, drink up, he instructed. He was pale and skinny (and who wears Docksiders and corduroy?). When you’re ready I’ll get you another.

Charlotte and I stood shoulder to shoulder chomping pretzels and watching the drunk crowd rock. Charlotte nursed her canned Bud Light and I picked at a pebble of salt wedged between my two front teeth.

You’re new, he said.

Right. You’re new. No question mark.

I’d been in Meadow Marsh a week. I missed home. And Evie. And Charlotte Kincaid would never be Evie. She was soft-spoken and smelled like baby powder and dryer sheets. She had none of Evie’s charm or spark.

Let’s sit, Fred suggested.

I’d rather not.

Charlotte shot me a look, then wandered away. Where was she going? Bathroom? Food foraging? I want to be alone, I told him, downing the rest of my beer and grabbing another out of the six-pack on the floor by his feet.

You’re at a party.

I felt my face flush, then twisted the top off the bottle and shoved the cap in my coat pocket.

You don’t really want to be alone. . . .

True. I wanted to be with Evie. Or home in Katonah with Mom and Dad watching crappy TV. I took a bitter swig of beer and handed the bottle back. You want the rest? It was time to go.

Your backwash?

Nice meeting you, I said. I pulled my hat from my bag.

Wait—you’re leaving?

Do me a favor? If you see Charlotte Kincaid, tell her I walked home?

You can’t walk—it’s pitch-black and freezing.

I’ll be fine, I said. My grandmother’s place is like, half a mile away.

You live with your grandma?

In fact, no. Grams was dead. But I’d just moved twenty-eight miles with my unhinged mother to my grandmother’s place in Connecticut. Because my favorite parent, Dad, had done some very bad things with a paralegal named Caroline.

Hey—

I pulled on my hat and headed for the door.

Wait!

What?

Your name?

Alex.

Alex, he mouthed. I’m Fred.

Fred, right. I was walking backward now, toward the foyer. What’s with the Docksiders, Fred?

He looked down, then back up. You don’t like my shoes?

I smiled, turned, and reached for the door.

2.

My mother was on her back—drunk, messy, her head hanging off the side of the sofa.

Shit, Mommy. I dropped my keys, my coat, and hoisted her head back onto the couch cushions. Hey, I said, loudly shaking her shoulders. I checked her pulse, her breath—still living. I grabbed an afghan off the recliner and covered her up, then rolled her onto her side just to be safe. I left a trashcan nearby.

In the morning, I called Evie.

Yo.

Hi. She sounded groggy; dreamy.

You asleep?

Sort of.

Well can you talk?

A beat. I heard muffled whispering, laughing. Then: I’ll call you back.

Eves?

What?

Is someone there?

I’ll call you later. Click.

I chucked my cell onto the floor and the battery popped out. Crap. I got out of bed, forced everything back in its place, jimmied the window open, and dialed Dad.

He picked up. Snow.

I know. I hammered the window open wider and stuck my head outside.

How’s my girl?

Freezing. I was inside now. Creeping back into bed. How’s home?

We miss you. We: Dad. Chicken, the dog.

Mom’s a real mess, you know.

Honey.

Have you broken things off with slutty Caroline?

Al.

Because I’m ready for things to go back how they were.

Honey, it’s not that easy.

I don’t believe you, I said. Then, Gotta go. I flipped my phone shut and buried myself under piles of covers. I curled my knees to my chest, inspecting a scab on my big toe.

3.

I met Adina the following Monday.

Meadow Marsh High was triple the size of my old school. Stained glass. Brick. Science wing. Student center.

I ate lunch alone at an empty table near the restrooms. French fries and ranch. My fave. I crammed five skinny fries into my mouth and looked up. Hovering overhead? Docksider Fred. With a girl.

Can we sit?

The girl wore a tattered black dress with four teensy rosebuds embroidered at the collar. Over that she had on a men’s tweed coat. She was frail and blond and made me feel oversize and mannish.

Is this your girlfriend? I asked.

They sat side by side and close. The girl pulled five clementines out of her book bag, frowning. His sister.

Adina, said Fred, pulling a wad of green gum from his mouth. Where’s your friend?

Who?

That girl from the party.

Oh. I shrugged. Charlotte Kincaid. Yeah, I dunno.

Orange? offered Adina, digging her thumbnail into a clementine rind.

No. Thanks though.

Fred pulled a to-go bowl of Cheerios from his blazer pocket. Awesome table.

Are you kidding?

Yes, he said, pulling the paper lid off his cereal bowl. "Seriously—next time, find a spot away from the bathrooms." He smiled. His freckled face made me want to bake a batch of brownies. Down a gallon of milk.

Hey, what’s your name? The girl asked.

I redirected my gaze. Alex.

Alex. She chewed. You’re from . . . ?

Katonah.

Oh, right. She nodded like she knew all about it. So, Katonah, why are you here?

Ah— I wasn’t sure what to say. My dad’s a raging slut? My parents—Well, my dad— I stopped, starting again: My mom’s from here, I finished.

Fascinating, Adina deadpanned, angling away from me. Eat faster, she said to Fred.

I winced, watching her nibble at an orange slice. Fred eyed me apologetically. You settling in okay?

I shrugged.

If you need someone to show you around . . .

Adina laughed, then slapped a hand over her mouth.

What? What’s so funny? said Fred.

No, it’s just— Who knew a giggle could sound so patronizing? No, nothing. You’re cute. She made her eyes into small slits.

Well, if you’re feeling lost, Fred said, ignoring her, ripping a piece of loose-leaf from his binder and scribbling something down. My number. He smiled, sliding the paper forward.

Thanks, I said cautiously, watching Adina. She watched me back. Hey, I said softly. Who’s older?

Fred took one last bite of cereal and pushed his bowl forward. We’re twins.

Oh. They looked only vaguely alike. Both blond. Both thin. I wondered briefly what Evie might think of Adina. She’d love her pointy collarbone but would call her names behind her back. Skeletor. Bobblehead.

Hey, Katonah.

Yeah?

Here. She tossed a clementine rind across the table. It landed lightly in my lap.

What’s this for? I

Reviews for Her and Me and You

[bladechik99 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was almost shocking at points. The whole Fred/Adina dynamic was just strange to read, but I liked how Alex handled it and herself. In the end, Fred turned out to be a lot better of a person than I expected him to be. I liked this book a lot better than Strasnick's previous novel, it felt like Her And Me And You was better developed and brought the reader into the story more, making it easier to get attached to the characters.

[thehidingspot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An intense, fast-paced read, Lauren Strasnick pulled me into the twisted, passionate world of Alex, Fred, and Adina. I finished the novel in just over an hour, but the story continued to ricochet through my mind even after the last page was turned. Alex is the main character, but it's Adina and Fred, and their interesting relationship, that steal the spotlight. Fred is immediately likeable and it wasn't difficult to imagine why Alex would fall him, even as she's being warned against him... and his sister. It's Adina, however, that gave the novel an almost sinister feel. Right from the beginning, the reader can tell there's something not right with Adina. She's possessive of Fred, manipulative of everyone, and her fragility makes her easy to underestimate. As I read, I couldn't help but be a bit impressed by her deft manipulation of Alex and Fred. The lengths she was willing to go to achieve her goal was terrifying, but I found it hard to look away.The novel is comprised of more than just Adina and her games. Alex and Fred's relationship unfolds slowly, tenderly. The two are comfortable, yet hesitant and I found myself hoping they'd break free of Adina's control, despite how interesting I found her intrusions and designs.Strasnick has succeeded in writing a gripping novel populated with compelling characters that will leave you wondering where the last two hours have gone.

[annakay21 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It only gets three stars because of the fact that the ending was pretty much non-existent. And it REALLY pissed me off!!! Because other than that I really liked this book! :)

[amwo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lauren Strasnick definitely had me captivated within the first 40 pages or so. Her and Me and You is definitely a lot different from the predictable, however cute, YA romance novels that I usually read. It was quite refreshing (however ironic it may seem) to dive into a world of extremely complex characters that actually have some depth.The romance in the novel was nice, as it was totally real and a lot more similar to the average girl's love life than your usual YA romance novel. But while Fred and Alex's romance was cute, it was their relationship with Adina that gave the story depth.I can't say that I've ever read about a character quite like Adina before. Which is both good and bad. On the one hand, I most definitely hated Adina. But I also sympathized with her at points during the book. While Adina may do sick and manipulating things to try to keep Fred and Alex apart, what was sad was how legitimate her reasons for doing so were. Adina and Fred have this incredible relationship throughout the novel, and it's very interesting seeing how Alex ties into that relationship. What's so scary about the whole thing is Adina's fragility that makes you underestimate her. While Adina clings to Fred and uses him as a crutch, she can also be very powerful and manipulative.I don't think I can put into words how I feel about this book. It touches on some issues that are very real, although the scale of the issues in the book is much larger. Her and Me and You is a short but gripping read filled with complex characters and great emotional depth. I can't wait to read more from Lauren Strasnick!

[jaidahsmommy · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I had high hopes for this book when I ordered it, but was pretty disappointed. I didn't know it was YA, it wasn't listed as such when I bought it. So, when it came and I saw it only had 171 pages, I was pretty bummed. Not only that, but the type is big, spaced out, and every other page is only half a page full. It only took maybe two hours to read it, tops. I thought the plot was interesting at first, but it really went nowhere. Then it just stops. The whole point of this story is the crazy twin sister, but we don't even learn anything as why she is like that. Just that "she wants attention". I really feel like I wasted my time and money on this book.

[ylin20621 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Alex moves to a new town with her mother when her father gets a new girlfriend. Her family life isn’t so great now, but at least she still has her best friend. But she’s slowly leaving Alex behind when she gets a boyfriend. At the town and her new school, Alex befriends Fred. Fred has a twin sister, Adina, who is an enigmatic as Fred. Alex isn’t sure what to make of this pair of siblings who keep to themselves.One thing is for sure though: two’s a company and three’s a crowd. Alex is slowly feeling like the permanent third wheel. Her and Me and You is a fast-paced novel because of its stylistic of narration. It is told in first person and short, clipped sentences. Despite this face-level of an easy-breezy read, Her and Me and You is so much more. Fred’s and Adina’s past is a haunting one and the reader constantly wonders the psychological effects that it dealt to these young children. It lingers on the mind throughout the book especially when Adina does odd thing or anything. Adina in particularly is one slippery character: she has her quirts and her niceties. One thing frustrating about the first person narrative is the lack of knowledge on the other characters.Adina is so very fascinating. She is part anorexia and part bipolar and all insane. But the reader does not if this is true. All we know is what Alex perceives. Adina could be in fact a sane girl who is manipulative and conniving and staged everything to keep Fred. I want to read more of Adina.Alex’s close friend from her old town (God help me, I can’t recall her name) is one that many readers have probably read elsewhere. The girl who has had history with the main character, but changes and develops over time into someone who is different than the childhood friend. And not for the better. She (oh gosh, what’s her name!) is not as memorable as Adina (as you can tell by the lack of name) but she does play an important role by connecting Alex to her past.Alex’s old town where her father and current girlfriend still lives is just another form of her life constantly changing. Here, her father, is a man of the past that will forever be a part of her. There, her soon to-be stepmother, is a woman of the future that will become part of her. These two characters are no more snobby than you or I. They are concerned on what Alex thinks, what Alex feels, and tries to open their home as still her old home. And for that I cannot hate them. Instead I believe that it portrays society perfectly.As you can tell, Her and Me and You is such a short novel (around 200 pages) but it packs so much between the lines. Her and Me and You is a haunting novel that will stick to the reader. But there were so many lingering questions that I feel leaves Her and Me and You hollow.