Kissed Read Online Free Page B

had a car and Mum, and
Bethie.   Loved shocking her with his new
look.
    There
were plans for this year that were all his, though,
and he needed to do them alone.
    His
senior classes weren’t near Beth’s and neither was the Senior Quad, so she didn’t
see him much on campus.   They didn’t get
the same period for Algebra 2, either, then she found out he joined the soccer
team after the fact.   Other than giving
her a ride to school in the morning, she barely saw him until October and he
needed her help again.
    “I
see how it is. Too busy for ol’ Bethie unless you want something,” she said
when he rapped on her window.
    “You
know it’s not like that.”
    She
arched one eyebrow.   “Oh, do I?”
    “Please,
Bethie? Name your price.”
    Anything?   He must be
desperate.   “I want to go to Homecoming.”
    He
squirmed.   “Uh, I already have a date.”
    She
slammed the window shut.   “Then no deal.”
    “Fine! Plenty more tutors to choose from!”
    “ Fine! ”  
    Not fine.   Dammit.   Ooops .   Good thing I didn’t say that word
out loud .
    She
took the bus for a month just for spite.   Of course, she was dealing with a teenage boy .   A gorgeous
teenage boy that could sell ice to an Eskimo.   He had no problem getting help from the
senior girls and even less of a problem remaining eligible for all his
activities despite rarely being home to study.   She knew.   She peeked through the
fence to see if his light was on almost every night.
    It
was a month before she saw him other than by a brief glance at school.   Their moms planned Thanksgiving again.   This time, they sat them right next to each
other.   He kept bouncing his left knee
and bumping her leg.  
    So
she bumped his leg back.  
    He
knocked her knee again.  
    She
did it back and bumped bone-to-bone.
    “Ow.”
    “Then
keep your legs to yourself,” she hissed.
    “You
need less room.”
    “You
need manners .”   
    “Pie?” Beth’s mother asked, giving both of them The Look.
    “Yes,
ma’am,” he said.   Suck-up .
    Beth
escaped to her room when the adults moved to the den, hoping he would stay out
there.   He didn’t.
    “What
is your problem, Beth?”   He shut the
door.
    “I thought we were friends.”
    His
brows furrowed in the middle.   “We are
friends.”
    “I
never see you anymore, and you have new ‘friends’.”   He was in the top five of
most popular seniors, maybe the most
of the whole school.
    “ You’re the one who refused to let me
take you to school.”
    “Because you only want my brain power.”
    He
sighed.   “I’m sorry I’ve been busy, but
that’s how this is. You’ll understand when you get there.”
    She
crossed her arms over her newly-A-cup chest.   “Oh, so it’s all okay because you’re a senior?”
    “Now
you’re twistin ’ my words. Bethie, you still matter,
okay? We’re just livin ’ two diff’rent lives right now.”
    “You’ll
be gone in six months, so how is that going to change?”
    He
sat on her bed.   “More like seven and a
half. If I get
accepted to university.”
    “Where
have you applied?”
    “Some here. Some in London.”
    “Oh.”   Away from me.   I’m going to lose him to another continent .
    He
bumped her shoulder.   “We’ll keep in
touch. Swear on my guitar.”   A pretty serious declaration.  
    “Which one?”
    “Does
it matter? I’d give up my car before I’d part with either of ‘em. Hell, I’d
give up my soul before music.”
    She
smiled.   “I know. The big dream .”
    He
nodded.   “Too bloody
right. And you get the first copy of the album, after me.”
    “And
you’ll sign it for me?”
    He
grinned.   “Love and
kisses, baby.”  
    She
socked his shoulder.   “You’re so corny.”
    “Forgive
me?” he asked hopefully.
    “If you’re staying for Christmas.”
    “Brat.”
    She
stuck her tongue out at him.   “I want
best friend time. Deal with it.”
    He
smiled.   “Yes, Your Highness.”
    At
least