Read Making Out for Free Online Page B

first-class bully.
    â€œAll right. If that’s what you think, Adrianna. I’ll take your advice. Let’s hope it doesn’t turn out to be an enormous mistake.”
    You could cut the tension in the room with a knife.
    â€œThanks, Daddy!” Marianna leapt up to give him a hug. She hadn’t called him Daddy in more than three years. She turned to run upstairs, to call her friends and tell them the amazing news. She was going on a date with Luke. A real date!
    â€œBut you’ll have to be home by 9:30,” he said sternly, stopping her in her tracks.
    Was he kidding? Was he completely insane?
    â€œNo way.” She whirled around angrily, her voice thin and high. “That’s ridiculous, and you know it. How can you treat me like a total child?”
    Uh-oh. Her father’s scowl was enough to make her sorry she’d said a word.
    â€œIf you can’t control your temper, Marianna, maybe you’re not old enough to have dating privileges at all,” he warned.
    â€œIt’s not even a date if I have to be home that early!” Marianna complained. “It’s more like he’s babysitting me!”
    â€œWho is this boy, anyway?” Her father raised his voice, and raised the stakes at the same time. The message was clear: He could change his mind at any minute if he didn’t like the sound of this guy.
    â€œHe’s on the cross-country team.” She knew the minute she said it that she was in dangerous territory.
    â€œThat’s what I thought.” Her father looked smug. “I’ve always said that boys who play sports with girls are only after one thing.”
    Here we go. Marianna wanted to die. She couldn’t bear another one of his lectures about guys—not now. Not with her little brother smirking from his perch on a chair arm. What was he doing hanging around for this conversation anyway? It was none of his business.
    â€œDon’t you have something better to do?” she snapped at Max.
    â€œYeah. Can I go over to Neil’s house to watch The Matrix ?” he asked his dad.
    â€œYes.” Her father nodded without an instant’s debate.
    â€œI don’t believe this!” Marianna screeched, pointing at the antique clock on the mantel. “It’s almost nine o’clock—on a school night! How come he’s allowed to stay out later than me?”
    Her father glared, angry that she was even demanding an explanation from him. “Max is not going to be assaulted walking three blocks to a friend’s house,” he said in a cold, patronizing tone. “I’m sorry, Marianna, but I didn’t set up the way the world works. Girls are more vulnerable; that’s a simple fact. Now do you want to go on this date tomorrow night, or do you want to argue with me? It’s a choice. One or the other.”
    A choice? That was a laugh. What choice did she ever have?
    She stormed out of the living room, stomped up the steps to her room, and slammed the door. Big protest. Even she was embarrassed by how lame it was.
    But at least she was going to be allowed to go out with Luke. She just hoped he would understand about the curfew.
    She opened her e-mail and found a note from him in her in-box.
    Hi—How about I pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow night? The film starts at 8:10. Maybe we can get a pizza after, unless you’re one of those girls who doesn’t eat. (In which case, I’m going to totally whip your ass at the cross-country trials next week, you’ll be so weak from hunger.) ☻—Luke
    Marianna’s head throbbed. The film starts at 8:10. How was she supposed to be home by 9:30? There was no possible way.
    Trembling, she hit the Reply button and started to answer Luke’s e-mail, but a moment later he showed up on her Buddy List. Maybe IM-ing him was easier.
    MKazanjian: Hey Luke
    LPerchik: hi, you. r u running tomorrow a.m.?
    MKazanjian: yeah.
    LPerchik: better watch out.