Don't Kiss Him Good-Bye Read Online Free PDF Page A

papers pretty quickly. The day was dry for the middle of March, and the sun warmed the top of my head and spread clear through me. I loved the Thursdays when my column was in the paper. If I had time, I sat down and read it on a bench after delivering them and before first period, savoring the sight of my words in print. It felt good to help others, to let the Lord use me to do the good works He’d prepared in advance for me to do. Even with the additional papers, I had time to plop down on a bench outside the front office and open the last paper in my bag.
    Dear Asking for Trouble,
    I never thought I’d be writing to an advice column like this. Well, a guy I know has asked me to go out with him next weekend to a huge party in the country. He’s cute and nice, and a lot of other girls are jealous. Great, right? Not so much. I know he likes me, but I only consider him a friend. If I accept, I’m afraid he’ll think I like him, even though I’ve told him we’re just friends. If I don’t go to the party, I’m home alone—again—for the weekend. I’ve told everyone I don’t care about being by myself, that I study a lot. But I do care. What should I do?
    Sincerely,
    Wishing for More

    Dear More,
    I know it’s dull to be home when your friends all seem to be out. But I’m betting there are other girls who are home during the weekends too. Can you ask around and plan a movie night for that weekend? Even though you’ve tried to tell him you’re just friends, he seems to believe otherwise. Guys can be thick! If you go to the party, you might be giving this guy the wrong idea, and you’ve said he’s a friend, right? You don’t want to do that if you can help it. Hang in there. The right one will come along. In the meantime—Blu-ray, anyone?
    Patiently yours,
    Asking for Trouble
    I left the paper open and let the sun come down on my face while I thought about that. I sounded so smart and on top of things when I wrote in the column. I wished I were going with someone special too. But I envied her. She had someone to go to the May Day Ball with, if she wanted to, even if he was only a friend. If I had an unattached guy friend, I’d be going too, instead of snapping pics for Natalie.
    “New edition?”
    I opened my eyes to see Tommy standing over me. The paper was still folded to the Asking for Trouble column.
    “Oh . . . yeah,” I said, folding the paper and standing up straight.
    “You write anything in there?” he asked.
    Now what? No one else had ever asked me straight out. And yet I’d promised myself—and Jack—months ago that I wasn’t going to tell anyone I was writing the paper’s advice column.
    “No byline yet,” I answered.
    “What were you reading?” he asked.
    “Asking for Trouble,” I said honestly.
    “Cool.” He slung his backpack over his arm and we headed inside. “Nice to see you at church last night. Are you going to do something for April Fools?”
    I nodded. “Joe convinced me to play guitar. You?”
    He shook his head. “I’m usually at football practice during the week, so I can’t commit to Wednesday nights too often. Also, my mum broke her foot and can’t drive for another month or so. My dad doesn’t usually get home from work in enough time for me to make it in the middle of the week.” He looked at his watch and then at me. Yes, his eyes were definitely Johnny Depp in Pirates . “Talk to you soon.” He grinned at me and I melted back—I mean, smiled back—as he ducked into his classroom.
    The bell rang. Uh-oh. I was still two hallways away from my class.

Chapter 10

    “You’re late, Miss Smith.” My maths teacher, Mr. Thompson, picked at the mole on his face till it bled and looked disapprovingly at my disheveled appearance. I had just booked it down the hallway. “Detention at lunch or after school today.”
    I’d promised to meet Rhys to help him with his paper during my lunch hour. I needed to honor my commitment. “After school,” I