Stop the Presses! Read Online Free Page A

icing off your mouth and not look at you like you’re a total loser because you totally have a big glob of icing on your upper lip. Not that I’m complaining. Michael Lawrence can whisper in my ear any day. It was just going to be reallydifficult to concentrate on anything else for the rest of the day—maybe even all week. Maybe all month. And I didn’t even know if my best friend would have time to analyze every detail like we usually would. She still hadn’t called or stopped by my locker to see me. I guess the Green Team was more important than our team.
    At lunch, Michael waved and pointed to the seat next to him. I made sure to sit on the opposite side of the table. I think we had enough close contact for one day.
    â€œWouldn’t it be easier to write notes if we were sitting next to each other?” Michael asked.
    â€œNot a problem,” I said. “I am excellent at reading upside down.”
    â€œAnother talent that I was unaware of.” Michael laughed. “Impressive, Pasty.”
    â€œI know. I try to keep it on the DL,” I said. “I don’t want everyone to know about my secret skill.”
    Michael smiled at me, and thankfully it was the good old, warm, friendly Michael Lawrence smile that made me feel comfortable and happy.Hopefully he had gotten all the leaning and whispering out of his system earlier.
    â€œSo what do you know about Green Team?” I asked him. “Because I haven’t seen much of Hailey lately, and I don’t really know what they’re planning.”
    â€œI noticed,” Michael admitted. “I saw you leave the cafeteria the other day without eating when Hailey was busy with Anthony. You could have come sit with us.”
    â€œAnd talk about pop flies and cleats?” I laughed. “Thanks, but I’d rather talk to Mr. Trigg.”
    â€œOkay, fair enough,” Michael said. “But just for the record, I am your friend. You can sit at my table any day.”
    â€œThe record is noted,” I answered. “And if I smell cinnamon buns, you can count me in.”
    Michael laughed. “The last time I brought cinnamon buns to school, the guys from the team ripped them out of my hands before I could even get to the cafeteria, so I think I’ll only be serving them in my kitchen from now on.”
    â€œGreat, then you’ll have to invite me over thenext time you make them,” I said.
    Wait a minute! Did I just say that? Martone Requests Invite to Crush’s Kitchen, Waits for Rejection.
    â€œOf course, but it probably won’t be until after baseball season,” Michael replied. “I don’t have a lot of free time these days.”
    Ugh! He totally thought I was inviting myself over. Way to go, Martone.
    â€œNo problem. I didn’t really mean you have to invite me over,” I started, embarrassed, and then it was like I just couldn’t stop. “I mean, if you wanted to, I wouldn’t say no, but you really don’t have to. You can even just give me the recipe and I’ll make my own. I’m pretty—”
    â€œCalm down, Pasty,” Michael said. “I knew what you meant. Let’s leave the cinnamon buns in the kitchen and talk about this Green Team meeting.”
    â€œGood idea,” I said. “The meeting is tomorrow, after school. I know that Anthony and Hailey have been disappointed because not a lot of kids have been coming to the student government meetings.”
    â€œWell, it is student government,” Michael said. “What do they expect? They’re competing with a lot of other after-school activities too, like baseball and the play.”
    â€œIt’s true,” I admitted. “But not everyone is on a sports team or in the play. I think only ten kids showed up to their last meeting, and one of them was a reporter for the Voice .”
    â€œSo tomorrow there will be two reporters.” Michael laughed. “That