The Best Friend Read Online Free Page A

pointing to Becka in the front row.
    â€œYou were always so stylish!” Trish teased.
    Becka gave her a hard poke in the ribs and returned to staring at Honey’s unsmiling face. “Honey used toburst into loud sobs for no reason at all,” she remembered.
    â€œYeah. She was scary,” Trish added.
    â€œShe had no friends at all,” Lilah said.
    â€œSo why does she think that she and I were such good pals?” Becka asked.
    â€œShe must have an awesome fantasy life,” Trish mused.
    â€œGuess you’re real lucky to have a new admirer,” Lilah teased Becka.
    â€œYeah. A new best best friend,” Trish said, grinning.
    Becka frowned. “I’m not so sure.”
    She put the photo back in the box and replaced the box in the desk drawer. They talked about Honey for a little while longer, remembering what a strange, lonely girl she had been.
    â€œShe moved away before the end of fourth grade,” Lilah recalled. “I remember now. She sat next to me. And then one day her desk was empty.”
    â€œI’ve got to go,” Trish said abruptly. “Talk to you later, Becka. It’s been real.”
    She started toward the door, Lilah following. “Wait up. I’ll walk with you. Call you later,” she told Becka.
    Becka didn’t seem to hear their farewells. “Hey—my pin,” she said.
    Lilah and Trish turned back to see Becka gaping at her dresser top. “Huh?”
    â€œMy parrot pin,” Becka exclaimed. “It’s gone!”

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    â€œD id Honey take it?” Lilah asked.
    â€œI thought I saw her put it back on the dresser,” Trish said.
    â€œWell, it’s not there now,” Becka muttered unhappily. She was down on her hands and knees, searching the carpet around the dresser.
    Lilah and Trish quickly joined in the search. “It’s not on the desk,” Trish reported.
    â€œLook under the desk. Maybe it fell,” Lilah suggested.
    â€œI love that pin,” Becka said, bending low to peer under the dresser. “It’s the only present Bill ever gave me, and it’s my absolute favorite.”
    â€œAnd it’s so stylish. Don’t forget stylish,” Trish joked, mocking Honey.
    â€œVery funny,” Becka said under her breath. She climbed to her feet. “She stole it! Honey stole my pin!” she cried, hands on her hips.
    â€œShe didn’t steal it,” Trish said, still searching, herhead under the bed. “She probably forgot she had it on.
    â€œYeah. I’m sure she didn’t deliberately take it,” Lilah agreed.
    â€œIf I’ve lost that pin, I’ll be so upset,” Becka said heatedly, searching the top of the dresser again.
    â€œGo ask Honey for it,” Trish suggested, climbing to her feet, brushing herself off. “It’s probably still on her sweater.”
    â€œThat tacky orange sweater,” Lilah commented, making a face.
    â€œWhat was wrong with her sweater? I liked it,” Trish replied.
    â€œHoney looked like a pumpkin in it,” Becka said absently, concentrating on her search.
    â€œYou redheads stick together,” Lilah accused Trish. “Maybe you should be Honey’s best friend.”
    â€œI’m going next door to get my pin back,” Becka said. “You two coming with me?”
    â€œWhat for?” Trish asked.
    â€œI’m going home,” Lilah said, glancing at her watch. “Talk to you later.”
    Trish and Lilah disappeared down the stairs. Becka continued her search for a little while longer. But the pin definitely was not in the room.
    Glancing out the window, Becka saw that it had started to snow again. Big flakes drifted down slowly, rocking from side to side like white feathers as they fell.
    I’ll run next door to ask Honey for my pin, Becka decided. She pulled her parka from the closet, and was slipping into it when the phone rang.
    She made a dive for the phone