The Boyfriend Dilemma Read Free Page B

please?”
    Such manners! Maybe Kyle could learn a thing or two from him? “No problem,” I say, detecting a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.
    â€œUh, you’ve got a bit of chocolate…” Ben says. Now all eyes are on me, and Amber is giggling with her hand clamped over her mouth.
    â€œHave I?” I prod at my face. “Where?”
    â€œThere,” he says, pointing to the corner of my mouth.
    I rub at it with a finger.
    â€œNo, there .” Ben reaches over and touches my cheek. It’s like a mini electric shock zapping through my body. I rub again, catching Zoe staring at me across the table. The two of us are so close we can normally communicate almost telepathically. But this time I can’t pick up her message at all.
    â€œHas it gone now?” I ask, wondering if he can hear the thump-thump of my heart.
    Ben frowns and touches my face again, making me almost tumble off my chair. I wipe my fingers around my mouth, cheeks and chin but judging by the smirk on Ben’s face, I still haven’t managed to get the smear off. Now I’m rubbing my sleeve over my mouth, not caring if it gets chocolatey. Zoe is waggling her eyebrows as if she’s trying to transmit something to me – but what? And now Ben is laughing, and the sniggers ripple around the table until Jude blurts out, “Layla – he’s just messing about. There’s nothing on your face. You’re fine , all right? You can stop scrubbing…”
    â€œOh!” I force out a laugh.
    â€œSorry, Layla,” Ben says, grinning as he reaches for a waffle. “Couldn’t resist that. April fool.”

Chapter three

    I would’ve been happy to hang out at Layla’s because, let’s face it, it was pretty interesting around there. I mean – that boy. Ben with the zingy blue eyes, cheeky smile and actual cheekbones , like a boy model’s, features that added up to the most amazing face I’ve ever seen. Where did he come from – outer space?
    â€œThat was so embarrassing,” Layla exclaims as we head out into the bright spring day.
    â€œDon’t worry, it was funny,” I reply. “And I tried to signal that he was joking.”
    She splutters with laughter. “You tried to signal?”
    â€œYeah!”
    â€œWhy didn’t you just tell me, instead of watching me trying to rub non-existent Nutella off my face?”
    We’re both giggling away but I’m not sure I know the answer. Of course I should have said something. I could hardly think straight, though – not with Ben sitting just a metre or so away. He’s gorgeous – like no one I’ve ever met before – and he obviously liked Layla because she’s so relaxed and friendly and always looks unique. Otherwise, why would he have pulled that Nutella trick? He was flirting with her – at least, I think he was.
    To be honest, I don’t really understand boys at all. I’ve only ever had one crush – and that was on Kyle, who I’d known for ever. It just hit me – wham ! He wasn’t just Layla’s big brother any more, and the only boy I’d ever felt truly relaxed with. I was actually a little in love with him. Of course, I didn’t tell Layla. She’d have died laughing because she thinks he’s an idiot, and anyway, there’s no way he’d ever have been interested in his little sister’s best friend. So I forced myself to stop liking him. I gritted my teeth and repeated, YOU CAN’T FANCY KYLE about eight million times in my head. Sometimes I added, KYLE BURNETT IS SO IMMATURE . Why else would he find it so hilarious to hide his “surveillance device” (i.e. that crappy little microphone thing) in Layla’s room? He recorded us singing , then played it to his friends – it was so humiliating. I love to sing, especially with Layla. We were in the Acorn Theatre junior choir all through primary