What You Always Wanted Read Online Free Page B

to him pops right up without missing a beat. “ ‘O Captain! my Captain!’ ”
    The room explodes into laughter and I steal a glance at Mrs. Morales, and even she’s struggling to keep a straight face. Rica’s the only one unamused. She stares at the floor with narrowed eyes, probably already calculating when and where she can strike, which makes me itchy. “ ‘Thank you, boys,’ ” I manage once things finally settle, and they hop down.
    Sarah catches eyes with me, smiling, and it’s not until that exact moment that I feel like my outburst was completely necessary. Not everyone knows how to defend themselves in situations like this. Sometimes you have to reroute a fire with an even bigger fire before everyone gets burned.
    â€œYes, thank you, boys,” Mrs. Morales says before she turns to me. “Maddie, how about you go next?”
    I close my eyes to gather my thoughts and lift my face toward the warmth from the can lights.
You got this
.
    â€œI don’t have a car. I’ve taken tap dance since I was nine.” I pause, setting up for the one that will really get them. “The only man I’ve ever loved is dead.”

CHAPTER FOUR

    As I reach my locker to retrieve the books I need tonight—have to read the first chapter in nearly all of them—a voice calls out behind me.
    â€œThat was so cool, what you did back there. With Rica.”
    I turn to find Sarah and the boys who called me their captain.
    â€œSeriously, it was awesome,” the guy with bushy, nut-colored hair says. “No one’s ever had the stones to put her in her place like that.”
    â€œYeah, not even us, and we actually have stones,” the thicker one says. “Real ones.”
    I shrug. “The words just came to my head at the right time instead of ten minutes later, when they’re not useful anymore.”
    â€œWell, I appreciated it.” Sarah moves the book she’s carrying to the other arm and extends her right hand. “We wanted to introduce ourselves. I’m Sarah.”
    â€œMaddie.” I take her hand, and each of the boys offers his too. It all feels very adult. I may have just found my people.
    â€œI’m Ryan.”
    â€œBrian.”
    An eyebrow raised, I look from one to the other. “Wait. Your name’s Ryan and yours is Brian?” They nod. “Are you related?”
    Brian rolls his eyes. “Why does everyone ask that? Do we look alike? No. He’s fat, I’m thin. I’m tall, he’s short. The rhyming thing is just a coincidence.”
    Ryan whacks him in the chest. “I am
not
short and fat. You’re barely an inch taller than me and maybe ten pounds less. Stop trying to impress the new girl.”
    â€œIgnore them. We all do.” Sarah laughs, then leans in a little closer. “So, about your truths . . .”
    â€œWas that for real . . . ?” Brian lets his voice trail off.
    The solemn expression on their faces lets on that they have heart. They’re not chomping at the bit for a meaty piece of gossip. I believe they’re actually concerned. Of course, they
are
actors.
    â€œThe tap dancing really was the lie. I only started about six months ago.”
    â€œThen the only guy you’ve ever loved really did die?” Sarah clasps one of my hands in her stubby ones, a gesture I thought only friends would take the liberty to do. “Oh, how awful. I’m so sorry.” She encircles me with her arms and pulls me against her short frame briefly before pulling away. “Do you need to talk about it?”
    I shake my head. “I can’t.” And I can’t imagine how cryptic all of this sounds, but I’m not explaining it yet. Let them create their own romanticized versions of my love life.
    No one knows what else to say until Ryan finally tugs gently on Sarah’s shoulder. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Maddie.