A Good Enough Reason Read Online Free PDF

it.”
    “I’m surprised you know what feisty means.”
    “Yeah, well, I’m not in AP English for nothing. I meant what if something serious happens? I have a little sister, and my mom often travels for work, so I’m the one taking care of Alicia.”
    “I’ll give you my phone number, and you’ll give me yours, so we can stay in touch.”
    Dale beamed and promptly reached for his jeans pocket.
    “I didn’t mean right now,” Ellis pointed out, “but okay.”
    Dale rattled off his number, and Ellis wrote it down on his notebook before giving Dale his. “Now, if we’re done being all friendly, can we get to the reason why we’re here?”
    “Sure, boss. Shoot.”
    “If you’re still convinced you want to pick that particular topic—” Dale nodded, so Ellis continued. “—we’ll need to find out what the school policy on same-sex couples is. I’ve never actually thought about it, and I’m not sure who we could ask, but we need to find out.”
    “That way you can attend prom with a date.”
    Ellis scowled. “I won’t be going to prom, but thank you so much for thinking about me.”
    “What? Why? Is it because your boyfriend left?”
    “What?”
    “Your boyfriend. You know, the guy you were always hanging around with.”
    Ellis pressed his lips together, but a small giggle still escaped. “Matt was never my boyfriend. He’s my best friend.”
    “Oh. So you two were never together?”
    Ellis shook his head. “No, not really.”
    “Then why don’t you want to go?”
    “Apart from the fact that I don’t find dances interesting, how many gay guys do you know in school?”
    “Well, you.”
    “Yeah, and I don’t want to go stag, so I’ll be staying home, thank you very much.”
    “You can’t decide that now! We’re still months away from prom!”
    “I don’t think much will change in a handful of months.”
    “I’ll find you a date.”
    “What?”
    “I’ll find you a date.”
    “No, thank you.”
    “Oh come on. Or are you scared? It would be the perfect way to show you really believe in what you’re going to say in the assignment.”
    “Are you even thinking of how you could do it? Are you going to ask every guy in school or maybe make an announcement in the school newspaper?” Ellis frowned. He could see Dale doing exactly that. “Please, don’t.”
    “Aww, but it would be such a good piece. Sexy senior needs gay date for prom. Date has to be reasonably cute and able to keep up a conversation on books. Only serious offers. ”
    Ellis couldn’t believe it. “Please don’t do it!”
    “Shhh!”
    Ellis turned to see that the dragon lady had returned. He nodded in apology and looked at Dale again. “You won’t do it. I… I forbid it!” he hissed.
    Dale smiled and patted Ellis’s hand. “Don’t worry so much, Ellis. I’d never do it.”
    Ellis didn’t know why, but he wasn’t overly reassured by Dale’s words.
     
     
    ELLIS’S LIPS broke into a wide smile when he saw who was calling. He grabbed the phone from his nightstand and answered, forgetting everything about his homework.
    “Matty!”
    “Aww, don’t call me that, El. You know I hate it.”
    “It’s been your nickname for the past ten years. It’s not going to change now.”
    “Can’t you settle on Matt like everyone else?”
    “Nope. As your oldest and only BFF, I’ve earned the right to call you Matty.”
    “That’s your last word?”
    “Yup.”
    “Okay, then, Ely-Boo.”
    Ellis gaped. “You wouldn’t.”
    Matt tsked. “You know me better than that, Ely-Boo.”
    “Okay, okay. You win. No Matty, and more importantly, no Ely-Boo.”
    Matt’s laughter felt like coming home for Ellis, even though Matt was on the other side of a cell phone, hundreds of miles away. Matt was too far for anything better, and Ellis had learned to deal with it and appreciate the little they could have. “So, anything new?”
    “Ahhh, no, not really. Home, school, everything’s the same.” Matt sighed. “Things