Take My Hand Read Online Free Page A

here?”
    I sighed in defeat. She was right. I’m a shy
and nervous person by nature. I am useless in social situations but that’s
because I’ve never been allowed to put myself in them before. I do want
to change that. That is why we are here.
    “I’m not having sex with him,” I declared. Rachel
pouted and put on her most convincing disappointed face. “But I promise to talk
to him. See how it goes.” And I will. In that very moment I decided that was my
plan. I’m going to force myself to talk to everyone I meet – make
conversation, exchange useless information… discuss the weather. Like
everything else in life, the more you practise the better you get right? If I’m
honest I can’t say I particularly want new friends - I’m happy with just
Rachel and my brother Chris to talk to - but I’m certain I need new friends
if I want the ‘normal’ Uni life I’ve been dreaming about.
    Besides, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have
more than ten Facebook friends. Believe me it’s even worse than it sounds
– apart from Rachel and Chris, four of them are distant Aunties I’ve
never even met, one is my mum and the other three are from the Library Lovers
group at my old school. If we had Glee clubs in this country, the Library
Lovers would be in it. They were the outcasts, the nerds – the ones with
spots and glasses… and yep, they felt sorry enough for me to add me to their friend lists.
    Bloody hell I really do need friends.
    “Right well I’m gonna call Chris and then
head to bed,” I mumbled through a yawn. I think the alcohol was having some
kind of delayed reaction because I suddenly felt like three tonnes of crap.
    “K, Ho. Say hi for me.” I nodded and turned
to my bedroom. “Oh and don’t forget to tell him I still think he’s all shades
of sexy!” she called after me. Ugh. I literally shuddered.
    “He’s my brother! That’s just… eww. ”
    I heard Rachel laugh as I opened the door to
my tiny bedroom and flopped myself backwards onto the bed. When I reached down
to the floor to grab my mobile from my bag I banged my head on the wall. How
was everything so much smaller yet so much more expensive down south? Rachel’s
parents are helping out with the extortionate rent on this place but I know
I’ll have to start paying my own way soon. My mum refused, presumably in the
hope that would shatter my chances of actually succeeding in life.
    Find a job is Number 9 on the New Life list
and as soon as I’ve honed my social skills, I’ll crack on with that.
    I successfully wriggled out of my dress one
handed while I dialled my brother’s number.
    “Hey, Emmie!” he answered. “How’s Uni life
treating you?”
    “I don’t start till next week. You know
that.”
    “Well excuse me for trying to make
conversation,” he teased. On reflection I did sound a little offhand. “What’s
up? Tell me.”
    “Nothing really. I’m just a little… oh I
don’t know.”
    “Come on, Emmie, what it is?” Chris always
knew when something was bothering me. I’ve never been able to lie to him. Not
successfully at least.
    “I’ve got a date.”
    “Jesus, you’re not gonna start talking sex
with me are you? There are some things a brother just doesn’t want to know.”
    “Eww no! Of course not! I’m just… nervous.
You know I don’t really know how to talk to people – guys especially. I
just don’t know what I’m expected to talk about.”
    “Emmie, we’re guys – not aliens. Just
talk like you would to me. Tell him about your day, what you’re studying, what
your goals are – that kind of shit.”
    “My goals aren’t shit!”
    “That’s not what I meant and you know it. You’re
overthinking things. Just take it one sentence at a time and you’ll be fine.”
    “Hmm. Maybe.”
    “No maybes about it. I’m older than you,
which means I know everything remember?” I giggled. Chris and Rachel are the
only people who can provoke that reaction from me. “Now before you go on