Read #Score for Free Online

what I always do. But this is different. This is something I never do, and because of it, I feel more connected with the rest of the world I try to seclude myself from. I feel . . . more alive.
    It’s different from how I get when I’m caught up in my painting. Benji’s still looking at the other people, but he glances at me out of the corner of his eye when I shift my leg.
    “I’m not complaining. You’re good company at least.”
    “At the very least,” I mumble, knowing that can’t be the case. I’ve barely allowed myself to say much to him, so why would he consider that good company? I’m just a bitter person who would rather hole herself up in her room than experience most of what life tries to offer every now and then. That’s the CliffsNotes version of me, anyway.
    “Yeah, you are. Even if you aren’t exactly thrilled to be here, I appreciate having your help. I’ll try to keep things interesting until we find Cal and Joshua. I promise.” He says this as he pats my hand, still not looking right at me.
    I pull my hand away slowly, as the nerves in my skin burn where he touched me.

Chapter 5
    B enji

    “ T his is not what I thought you had in mind,” Ramona says from behind me. I turn and look at her small frame from over my shoulder. She’s under the same cover of shadow from the overgrown trees at the entrance to Jumpy Moe’s Mini Golf, but I can still see her better than my own hands.
    I yank at the padlock but as I figured, it’s no use. No matter, I’ll find a way in somehow. I walk along the fence line, checking for any loose openings, until I come across a portion of the chain-link fence that’s been pulled back. “Bingo. Over here, Cinnamon.”
    My grumpy yet cute companion walks up, looks at me, and then folds her arms across her chest. “It figures. Well, what are we waiting for?”
    I’m not expecting her to say that so I grin, sort of wondering the same thing. It’s never about the plans with me, it’s always about the action. Although at some point I stopped giving a shit about what Cal and Joshua were up to and decided to kick it with this girl instead. It wouldn’t be the first time, and it definitely will not be the last.
    Cinnamon, or Ramona, as she has been begging me to call her, pulls the weakened fence back while I slide in the tight space, ending up on the inside of the mini golf course where the small building connects to the outdoor generator. She follows behind me, and we both carefully edge along the side of the building until I’m sure the coast is clear. Pointing to the open counter of the hut, I hop over it to grab a couple of colorful golf clubs and matching golf balls.
    “Green or purple?”
    Ramona takes a good look at the clubs and starts chewing her lip. I don’t know if it means she’s nervous, but she’s definitely thinking hard about something. She looks back up at me and points to the green club and ball in my right hand. I smile, because of course she doesn’t do the girly thing and pick purple. I’ve only known her for a couple hours, but I can already tell Ramona is pretty much the opposite of girly.
    I set up my ball on the first round, ready to take aim, when Ramona taps on my shoulder. “Who said you could go first?”
    “For someone who was scared about coming here in the first place . . . you sure are being bossy about it now.”
    She purses her lips together and that’s when I notice a tiny dimple, but only on the right side of her face. It’s just a small detail but it catches me off guard, and I’m staring at her without meaning to. She looks away and I usher her to go first. “After you.”
    Okay. The cute smile she gives me as she walks past is sort of worth it. Sort of .

    * * *
    B ut when Ramona hits her fifth hole-in-one and we’re only on hole number twelve, I have to draw the line. “Are you secretly a pro mini golfer and you’re not telling me?”
    She pulls at the sleeve of her shirt, staring through the darkness and