Lauren's Beach Crush Read Online Free

mad?”
    Lauren shrugged shyly. “Because of how much I talked about him all year,” she said. “I mean, I lied about it.”
    Lauren felt uncomfortable for a second. What ifChrissy had suspected all along that Lauren was making it up?
    â€œWhatever,” Chrissy said, waving her hand. “And you didn’t really lie! You just, well, embellished a little, right?”
    â€œI guess,” said Lauren. “I mean I really embellished, though. But I have a plan!”
    â€œWhat kind of plan?”
    Lauren felt encouraged. Chrissy was responding better than she thought she would. Maybe Chrissy could even help her with the Plan. She was going to tell her everything.
    â€œA big plan,” Lauren said in a dramatic voice. She sat down next to Chrissy on the bed. “A foolproof way to get him to realize that he and I are made for each other. It’s called . . . ” Lauren stopped. It seemed silly saying it out loud. “Um . . . I’ve been calling it the Love Plan. But the main part of it is Operation Cell Phone. And, if executed properly, it will not only result in us talking, but it will also give him my number so he can call me and ask me out after he realizes we’re meant to be. I have it planned out step by step. I know we’ll hit it off and that he’ll instantly realize we’re soul mates. At the end of the summer, he will have my number and wecan call and text all year until we see each other again next summer.”
    â€œWow, that sounds awesome,” said Chrissy, nodding enthusiastically.
    The girls sat there for a moment, not knowing what to say next.
    â€œSo, what do you know about him, besides the fact that he’s gorgeous and that you guys are soul mates?” asked Chrissy.
    â€œWell, he’s very athletic, for sure. But I know he’s really smart too. I’ve seen him reading some seriously heavy-duty novels at the beach. And he’s really into nature and the environment. I saw him walking around in the dunes one day last summer. I’m pretty sure he was looking for garbage to pick up. And I think he might be part of the Youth Conservation Core, because those are the only people allowed to walk in the protected areas of the dunes.”
    â€œAwesome!” said Chrissy. “He sounds amazing. He must—”
    â€œOh and also?” gushed Lauren. “He loves little kids, just like I do! I mean, how often does that happen, that a boy our age also loves little kids? I know it soundstoo good to be true, but I totally saw him playing at the beach last summer with three little kids. The kids were climbing all over him. He was like, totally sweet with them.”
    Chrissy giggled. “He does sound awesome.”
    â€œI know,” agreed Lauren.
    â€œIs he our age?”
    â€œI’m pretty sure he’s a year older, going into eighth. But I’m not positive. Last summer he was already a lot taller than me. I think he’s taller than most of the boys at school.” Lauren’s face clouded. “You won’t tell anyone at school, will you? About how I—um, embellished?”
    Chrissy stood up and patted her shoulder. “Your secret is totally safe with me. And I’ll help with the plan! So by the time we get to school we won’t have a secret because you’ll really be Charlie’s girlfriend!”
    Charlie’s girlfriend. Lauren couldn’t believe how perfect that sounded.
    â€œSo how about you?” asked Lauren eagerly. “Do you have a crush?”
    Chrissy nodded and sat back down. “I didn’t talk about him much at school, but yeah, I do. His name is Justin. He’s back in Santa Monica, at my old school.We used to take piano from the same teacher and we’d see each other before and after lessons, and at recitals. I had the hugest crush on him forever, and then a few months ago I got up the nerve to text him on his birthday. And