Kiss My Name Read Online Free Page A

that is what had happened. My feelings had gone from ‘this is pretty good’, to ‘this is alright’, to ‘I’m really fed up of this now, but I did promise.’
    I was contemplating a further seven days of babysitting my kid brother, when I heard a familiar voice cry out,
    “Where’s my lemonade, boys?”
    We turned our heads and Nicky was running down the slope alongside Joey’s house. She was dressed in a pink and white summer’s dress and a straw hat that she held on to with one hand as she ran. The times I had met Nicky’s Dad, when he had arrived at the Neill’s house to collect her, I had always found him a mean tempered and intimidating man, but he always did seem to take pride in ensuring Nicky dressed and looked immaculate. She was like a kid from out of one of our catalogues. Joey and I were now thirteen and Nicky was still only ten, but we were both well aware that she would grow up to be stunning. Even then, we understood that hanging around with Nicky was a cool thing to do. Colin saw things differently.
    “Oi, Nicola Moyes! Keep well away from my bloody lemonade!” Colin shouted from the vegetable patch.
    Colin and Nicky had crossed paths a few times before at Joey’s. Colin was always a little wary of Nicky. She commanded everyone’s attention which he didn’t seem to like.
    “Colin Strong, I would rather kiss your brother on the lips than drink your lemonade! I would not want your nasty germs.”
    Nicky spoke quite poshly for a girl from Chorley. The reference to kissing made me feel uncomfortable. I could feel myself going red, so took hold of my lemonade and took a big sip. Joey was on to me.
    “Are you blushing, Muscleman?”
    This was my new nickname. I was a little overweight for my age, so it wasn’t a reference to my physique, it just evolved from the ‘Strong’ surname. I can’t remember who christened me that. It must have been someone at school, but it stuck.
    “No, why would I be?”
    “Because Nicky wants to snog you!”
    Nicky was alongside us now and she playfully punched Joey on the shoulder.
    “Don’t be so silly, Joey! We are just friends, aren’t we, Muscley Man?”
    “Muscleman,” Joey corrected her.
    “Well we are, aren’t we?”
    “Yes,” I said, “but I’d rather you drank Col’s lemonade than kissed me, thank you very much!”
    I lied. Even when she was ten, I would have been more than happy for Nicky to kiss me.
    “Well, don’t worry Muscleman, I won’t be doing either. Is your Mum in Joey? Do you think she’d mind me pouring myself a glass of lemonade?”
    “I’m sure she wouldn’t. Go and ask her and get me another one whilst you’re there, will you?”
    Nicky picked up Joey’s glass without objection and skipped towards the house. As she disappeared inside, Colin came towards us from the bottom of the garden.
    “Oi, Joey, do you think your Dad’ll give us a quid for chopping down his weeds?”
    “No, Colin, he won’t but he may charge you for the damage you’ve done to his vegetable patch.”
    “Bugger off! I’ve not done any damage!”
    “Language,” I warned again sternly.
    “What did I say?” Colin protested as he came towards us.
    “Bugger.”
    “What’s wrong with bugger?”
    “It’s a swear word.”
    “It is not!”
    “Col, it is! Would you call your Headmaster at school a ‘bugger’? If not, don’t use it.”
    Colin paused for a few seconds to consider the question, whilst he did he located his lemonade, which he’d strategically placed a few yards away from us.
    “I think I already have called him a bugger! More than once. He didn’t seem to mind.”
    I didn’t believe him. Colin could lie for the human race. I watched as he drank his whole glass of lemonade in one almighty gulp before burping loudly and continuing,
    “Needed that...where’s Miss La-de-da gone?”
    “In the house,” Joey answered, “for some lemonade.”
    Colin started to do some crazy dance mimicking the R Whites ‘Secret Lemonade