What's Meant To Be Read Free

I will. But I don’t think ambushing him in the middle of his first period class is the right way to go.” I’m talking slowly now, trying to make her understand exactly where I’m coming from.
    She rolls her eyes and looks at me. “We aren’t going to ambush him in his first period class.”
    I let out a sigh of relief and take a step back from her.
    “We’re going to his second period class, we’ll never make it to his first period before the bell rings.” She starts walking down the hall again.
    “His second period?” I ask in a small voice, still trying to keep up with her.
    “Yes!” She’s talking so loudly that her voice is echoing through the hallway now. “Then we wait for him outside and when he least expects it, BOOM!” She claps her hands for emphasis. “We pounce on him!”
    “KARLI!” I shout, hoping to snap her out of her crazy rant. “He’s a boy, not a mouse. And we’re girls, not cats. How do you even know where his second period class is?”
    “Well…” She looks away. “I might have glanced at his schedule while I was in guidance this morning.”
    “You didn’t! Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get in for that?”
    Karli rolls her eyes. “Ashley, please. I mean, it was two seconds really, and I only saw his first and second period. First period English, second period gym…and maybe a few others but I mean, really, that shit is practically public knowledge.”
    “Second period gym?” I cut her off.
    Karli sighs. “Yes Ash, gym, in the west gym. Which is so gross, I mean he’s totally gonna be all sweaty the rest of the day.”
    “I have second period gym,” I tell her softly.
    This stops Karli dead in her tracks. “You do?”
    “Yeah,” I say, looking down. Suddenly I feel a little lightheaded.
    “Well” she says, “this changes everything. Good! Now you have the chance to see what his deal is without it looking like we’re stalking him.”
    “Hey!” I say. “You made it out like it would seem totally normal.”
    Karli laughs. “Don’t be silly, it could have totally fucked everything up!
    Haha!”
    But I think she sees the look on my face, then because her tone softens.
    “Hey, just promise me you’ll stick up for yourself okay?”
    I smile. “I promise.”
    She nods. “Good. You’re too good of a person to let people walk all over you, Ash.”
    Then the bell rings and her face is lost in the string of people coming out of nearby classrooms. And I’m alone with nothing left to do but go to second period.

    ********
    I know no one in my second period gym class, and when I say no one, I do mean no one. The gym is covered with kids scrambling around, climbing on the bleachers, looking for their friends. They’re hugging, and hand clapping, and even some fist pumping. And in the mist of all this, I do not see one face I am comfortable enough to approach.
    I’m scanning the crowd, searching for someone, anyone to talk to when I spot him. Austin. He’s standing in the middle of the gym looking just as lost as I feel. This is it, I think. The perfect time. I’m just going to march right up to him and ask him why he avoided me this morning. Ask him why he hasn’t talked to me since we got back from Florida.
    I breathe in a few times, then gather up all the courage I have left and start to walk over to him. He’s busy looking around, taking in his surroundings, but his eyes land on mine. And they don’t leave me until I’m right next to him.
    Neither one of us says anything for a moment, but it’s me who speaks first.
    “Hey,” I say quickly.
    “Hi,” he responds. “How, uh, how have you been?”
    He’s nervous. I can tell by the way he’s stumbling over his words a little, but he shouldn’t be. It’s me.
    “Good, really good.” It’s a lie, I mean, I’ve been good but not like amazing or anything. Just like average.
    “Yeah, me too. Busy, really really busy.” He runs his hand through his dark hair and looks down, almost