Chocolate Box Girls: Sweet Honey Read Online Free PDF Page A

British?’
    ‘Yeah … I’ve just
     moved here to live with my dad.’
    His eyes catch mine and for a moment I
     think I might drown in their bright, clear blue. He likes me. He’s
     good-looking, in an edgy, surf-boy way … he’s like an Aussie version
     of my ex, Shay. And that’s a good thing, trust me.
    There are yells from further down the
     beach. Half a dozen surfie boys are running towards us across the sand, all brown
     limbs and streaks of sunblock, surfboards beneath their arms. They skid to a halt
     beside us, spattering wet sand everywhere like boisterous, unruly dogs.
    ‘Riley! C’mon, man,
     we’ve gotta bail, we’ll be late. Leave the poor girl alone!’
    ‘We’re supposed to be over
     at Donny’s for six – party time!’
    ‘Slow down,’ Riley says.
     ‘This is … uh … I didn’t catch your name!’
    ‘Honey,’ I tell him, and his
     eyes flash, amused.
    ‘Honey? I like it.
     Sweet!’
    Not so sweet
, I think,
     remembering my ironic new SpiderWeb name. But who knows, maybe a boy like Riley
     could halt the slow curdle of hurt inside me that turns sweet to sour? Maybe.
    ‘Honey’s new in town,’
     Riley is telling his mates. ‘All the way from Britain! We should invite her
     along to the party, show her a bit of Sydney hospitality!’
    ‘Why not?’ one boy agrees.
     ‘Pretty girls are always welcome!’
    ‘British?’ another declares.
     ‘Cool. You doing that uni exchange scheme? Come to the party, for sure, just
     don’t take any notice of Riley – I’m way more your
     type …’
    My heart begins a drumbeat of
     anticipation. This is a game I am expert at – a few cool boys, the push/pull of
     flirtation. There is just one problem: I am supposed to be off boys, possibly for
     the rest of my life. I made a deal with Dad – no boyfriends, no parties, no trouble.
     I am supposed to be squeaky clean. I can’t break that promise on my very first
     week in Australia. Can I?
    Dad and Emma won’t be back till
     late. I could go to the party for a few hours and they’d never know. I’m
     torn, but the new-leaf me knows that this is not a good idea. ‘Thanks,’
     I say. ‘Sounds great, but … I can’t. Sorry!’
    The boys laugh and roll their eyes and
     pretend to be heartbroken, and then they’re heading on up the beach and
     I’m forgotten. That’s boys for you.
    Deflated, I take out my iPhone and open
     up my new SpiderWeb page, pretending I couldn’t care less. There’s a
     post from Coco on my wall:
Hey, big sister, don’t forget
     our Skype date tonight. I know you’re starting school tomorrow and I know
     it is one of those crunchy granola places where you call the teachers by their
     first names, but … I want to wish you good luck. Break a leg, as
     Summer would say. Only … well, don’t actually break a leg.
     Obviously. Skype call is 9 p.m. your time, OK?
    Your Adoring Sister,
    Coco
    xoxo
    I’m about to tap out an answer when
     a shadow falls across the table: Riley.
    He rakes the damp blond hair back from
     his face. ‘Look,’ he says. ‘Tonight’s going to be a bit
     crazy – don’t blame you for giving it a miss. Maybe another time?’
    ‘Maybe …’
    His face lights up and there’s a
     charge in the air between us, heavy but invisible. We once did an experiment about
     magnetism in primary school with a horseshoe magnet and iron filings, and I remember
     thinking it was pure magic the way one pulled the other to it. This is the same kind
     of magic, and I think it is working both ways.
    You cannot fight that kind of thing,
     right? And Dad need never know …
    ‘Riley!’ one of his mates
     roars from the sand dunes. ‘She’s not interested in you. Come
on
!’
    Riley glances at my phone.
     ‘You’re on SpiderWeb?’ he asks. ‘Cool. What’s your
     SpiderWeb name?’
    ‘SweetHoney,’ I say, and
     Riley laughs and says that figures.
    Out of nowhere, Ash, the beach-cafe boy,
     appears at my table with a tray,