Read Without care for Free Online Page A

embarrassing.
    He will laugh,
that I'm certain about. God, if it was anyone but me, I would laugh
too. Then Monday hits me, what will happen at school? Does anyone
else know? I place my head in my hands and let out a weak cry.
     
    “Hey,” his hand
is on my shoulder. I like it when he touches me, the pain almost
disappears for a second. “You can tell me.”
     
    I remove my
hands and sit up straight. “I tried to kiss Chase Walker!”
     
    He waits a
second before he replies. “Tried? Exactly how does that work?”
     
    I look at him
and roll my eyes. He is seriously going to drag this out. “As in I
leaned in, eyes closed and he did nothing.” I let out a sigh and
shiver in remembrance.
     
    “Is that all?”
he laughs. “The way you were acting I thought someone had died.
     
    “It did, my
pride”
     
    “Or your
ego”
     
    “Excuse
me?”
     
    “I get it, poor
old Jen never gets rejected...”
     
    My jaw drops in
shock. I knew his kindness wouldn't last long. How dare he see me
in that way, he knows nothing about me? He just stares at me
without blinking. I’m going to have to tell him my secret, just to
clear my name. I don't like him thinking of me like that. Once
again Jennifer Hopkins is eager to please.
     
    “Just to let
you know, I've never kissed a man” I hiss, my eyes moving away from
him.
     
    “What? Never!”
I can hear the shock in his voice, but I don't dare look at him
again. I shake my head, I have lost my voice. “Oh,” he swallows
loudly. “Well, I guess I should be saying sorry.”
     
    “Mmm” I shrug,
its getting a big of habit him saying sorry. I look around the
living room again and decide its time to get this conversation away
from me. “Are your parents working?” It’s the first thing I can
think of asking. I can see him flinch a little and his mouth twists
to one side.
     
    “I have no
idea” he laughs. This catches my attention. I spin my body round to
face him. His hands grip the cup, and he is staring into it.
     
    I tuck my feet
under me and get comfy as I want him to open up to me and I won't
let this rest. “What do you mean?”
     
    “I don't know
what they’re up to?”
     
    “You mean you
live alone?”
     
    “Yes.”
     
    I take a longer
look at his profile, and I have this weird sense he maybe older
than me. He's frowning. The lines around his eyes and forehead are
deep.” How old are you?” The words just leave my lips.
    “Eighteen” he
confidently replies. He looks over at me and smiles, a big hearty
smile that sends my pulse racing. “You think it’s strange for
someone to live alone?” He raises an eyebrow and turns to face me.
“We can't all have a happy home like you.”
     
    “I don't have a
happy home” I snap back. “I only live with my mother and baby
sister. We came to Summerton seven months ago.”
     
    His smugness
drifts away and now I smile. “I didn't know.”
     
    “No, of course
you didn't. You just keep assuming you know things about me.”
     
    He takes in a
shape inhale of breath. “I know, I know” he sighs. “I am really
sorry I keep doing that.”
     
    “And sorry you
keep having to say sorry?” I joke.
     
    “Yes” he says
firmly. For half a minute our eyes lock, and not one of us turns
away. I am suddenly overcome with affection for him. He lives
alone, doesn't seem to get on with people and has looked after me
during my little drama.
     
    He jumps to his
feet, almost spilling his coffee. What did he manage to read my
mind? He now looks flushed as he debates to weather put the cup
down or take it with him. This puts me on an edge, I am pretty sure
I didn't say my thoughts out loud. He decides to put the cup down
and walks over to the card table and sits down in a chair.
     
    That's not
good. Why he putting distance between us? Just when I think I have
him figured out, he does a whole 360 degree turn on me. I decide to
get back to the conversation we were having before he had to say
sorry