Confessions of a Not It Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

heard that one before."
    "We're watching The Little Mermaid," Hannah informed Josh. "It's my twenty-fifth time watching it. Do you want to watch with us?"
    "I think I'll pass. I need a shower."
    I tried not to look disappointed. I also tried not to look like I was picturing Josh taking a shower.
    Josh put Hannah down and she snuggled up next to me. "I'll see you in a bit," he said to me. And he smiled that smile.
    I had never thought of The Little Mermaid as a particularly long movie, but suddenly every scene seemed to last forever. I heard Josh taking a shower, and then music came from downstairs, nothing I recognized. When Hannah made me rewind "Kiss the Girl" so she could see it again, I almost strangled her.
    I was sure it was one in the morning when the movie finally ended, but it was only nine-twelve. In spite of my hoping Hannah would insist Josh come up to kiss her good night, she just yelled, "'Night, Josh!'" downstairs and he yelled, "'Night, Hannah!" back. I figured I probably shouldn't complain, since I did owe her for that first
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    kiss, and I couldn't exactly expect a six-year-old to make all the moves for me.
    The house was really quiet when I came downstairs, except for Josh's music coming from his room. I put Hannah's dishes in the dishwasher and straightened up the couch, and then there wasn't really anything left for me to do.
    I couldn't decide what to make of Josh's saying, "I'll see you in a bit." Did he mean, I'll come upstairs when the movie is over? Did he mean, You should come downstairs after the movie? Did he mean, I'll see you in class on Monday? The last one seemed unlikely. Objectively, Friday to Monday is not "a bit." It's a few days. If he'd meant, I'll see you Monday, he would have said, I'll see you Monday. Of course, he could have meant, I'll see you at Richie's party tomorrow, but even that seemed like stretching the definition of "a bit." I wished I could call Rebecca, but she was probably only on her fiftieth course, too busy listening to gross middle-aged men say, "My, what a low neckline you have," to help me.
    I was channel surfing and debating the ethical implications of going to the head of the basement stairs and shouting down, "Hey, do you know what channel the game's on?" when I heard him coming up. I tried to look like I was fascinated by what was on the TV.
    "I wouldn't have pegged you for a NASCAR fan," said Josh, coming up behind me.
    "What?" I craned my neck around to look at him. His hair was wet, and he was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that said pike's market: get 'em while they're
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    fresh on the front. He looked extremely clean and shiny.
    "NASCAR racing. Do you like it?" He pointed at the screen, where some guy in a puffy suit was being interviewed next to what looked like a giant Matchbox car.
    "Oh. Not really." There was a pause. "I think it's important to be well-rounded."
    "Oh." We looked at the screen for a minute.
    "I'm kidding," I said finally.
    "Right." He walked toward the kitchen. "You want some ice cream?"
    "Um, no thanks." I couldn't decide if I should change the channel or leave it where it was.
    "Okay," he said. I decided to put on MTV, which seemed like a neutral choice. You can't really argue with MTV.
    "You're not much of a talker, are you?" he called from the kitchen. "I mean, you're kind of quiet."
    I had never hated anyone as much as I hated Mr. Kryle at that moment. "I'm not quiet. I'm, like, the opposite of quiet," I said. I could hear him taking out a bowl and rummaging around the fridge.
    "You mean 'noisy'?" He came back holding two bowls of ice cream.
    "Yes," I said. "Noisy."
    He flopped down at the other end of the couch and handed me a bowl. "I thought you might have changed your mind about the ice cream."
    "In thirty seconds?"
    "Well, you know how girls are. If you don't want it, I'll eat it." He crossed his legs Indian style. "So, what's the deal?
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    I see you talking to your friend--what's her name? Rebecca?"
    I nodded, amazed