A Deep Dark Secret Read Online Free

make here, but it’s so ridiculously full of carbohydrates.”
    Jillian wasn’t shocked by Shelly’s comment either, because Shelly spent a noticeable amount of time counting carbs, fat grams, and calories. She was terrified of being overweight and made sure she never ate too much of anything or went more than a day without working out.
    Food, however, was the very least of Nikki’s worries. “Check it out,” she said, looking over at Marcus and three of his teammates, smiling and pointing in their direction. “If they keep it up, I’m gonna take my behind right over there to ask Marcus what he’s staring at.”
    Ashley and Shelly giggled, obviously wanting to flirt with Marcus and his little friends just as much as Nikki did.
    Jillian felt just the opposite. “Girl, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll forget about that boy.”
    “Why?”
    “Remember what I told you on the phone yesterday?”
    Nikki waved Jillian off. “Please. I’m not afraid of Marcus or whatever it is he’s interested in doing.”
    Jillian shook her head and before she could say anything else, Nikki was out of her seat and sashaying across the room. Jillian saw the way he smiled at Nikki, along with the creepy way he scanned her body from head to toe, and the look on his face reminded Jillian of her father. She so wished Nikki would stop trying to be so grown all the time and would listen to what she kept trying to tell her. She wished Nikki would leave Marcus alone before she did something she would soon end up regretting.
    Ashley drank some grape juice. “Nik is flirting with Marcus big time.”
    Shelly leaned back in her seat. “I love it. Go, Nikki.”
    Jillian sighed deeply and then saw Nikki pointing at the three of them and walking back to the table with all four guys. Jillian wasn’t happy about this at all, because the last thing she wanted was to have to deal with some boy trying to talk to her.
    Nikki introduced them right away. “These are my girls. Jillian, Ashley, and Shelly. Girls, this is Marcus, Darren, Kyle, and Jason.”
    They all greeted one another, and Jillian couldn’t deny that Kyle was just as handsome as Marcus. She also had to admit that he was definitely attracted to her, because while he’d said hello to both Ashley and Shelly, too, he was still smiling at her. Surprisingly, she’d smiled back at him, but then quickly averted her eyes, almost feeling embarrassed.
    “Why don’t you guys have a seat,” Nikki offered.
    “Sounds good to me,” Marcus responded, and sat next to her.
    Kyle, on the other hand, took a chair right next to Jillian, and her stomach fluttered. “So, are you enjoying the new school year?”
    Jillian looked straight ahead. “Yes. You?”
    “Yeah, it’s cool. Especially since football season has started.”
    Jillian glanced at him for a second and smiled.
    “So, where do you live?” he asked.
    “On Taylor Avenue.”
    “Really? Then I’m only a few blocks away from you, because I live over on Reagan.”
    “Oh. Yeah, that is close.”
    “Too bad we don’t ride the same bus, hunh?”
    She glanced at him again and then looked across the room.
    “Why do you keep doing that?”
    With reluctance, she turned back toward him but hunched her shoulders.
    “It’s not like I’m going to bite. You do know that, don’t you?”
    “Of course I know that.”
    “Good. Then can I have your phone number?”
    She hoped God would forgive her for the lie she was about to tell. “Actually, we just got it changed, and I haven’t memorized it yet.”
    Nikki, through all of her conversation with Marcus and the rest of them, heard Jillian’s answer and gazed at her with a confused demeanor. But Jillian ignored her.
    Kyle still wasn’t giving up, though. “Can I get it from you tomorrow, then?”
    “Yeah, if I remember it.”
    They all chatted about the upcoming game and the school dance that would be happening in a couple of weeks, and then the guys stood up. Jillian saw Nikki