Everyone's a Critic Read Online Free PDF Page A

corner.
    â€œWho are you, and what have you done with myfriend Hailey?” I said as we both started walking toward our classes.
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    I stopped walking and faced her. “Well, it’s just that you shoved me toward him and I was planning to bring up the play soon anyway. Now he thinks we’re both meeting him at lunch to talk about the play, which is weird.”
    â€œLook, you were so bummed out when he wrote that story with Austin. I’m just trying to help things get back on track with you two. Do you want the same thing to happen all over again? The early bird gets the worm.” She obviously cared a lot about me and Michael, but I just wasn’t sure about her approach.
    â€œSo I’m the bird and Michael’s the worm?”
    â€œExactly,” she said, looking pleased with herself and not getting my sarcasm at all.
    I started walking again. “I don’t know, Hailey.”
    â€œJust trust me. He won’t be able not to think about you.”
    â€œI just think we’re being a little too proactive.” I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “Sometimesyou get a little charged up about things. I just want to handle this my own way.”
    â€œI do not get too charged up about things! Are you just going to stand there and let life pass you by?! I’ve been watching you two dance around each other forever.”
    We came to our classrooms, mine next to us and hers across the hall. “I guess you’re right,” I said, looking down.
    â€œAttagirl!” she said, and slapped me on the back.
    â€œOw.”
    â€œSorry,” she said. We walked into our classrooms. I just didn’t have the heart to go any further with the issue. Girl Tells the Truth. Best Friend Spontaneously Combusts. At least that’s what it felt like would happen. I didn’t realize I was this wimpy. And I didn’t realize Hailey was so bad at taking what she dishes out.

    At lunchtime I walked into the cafeteria and looked around. I was hoping to see Michael beforeI saw Hailey so she wouldn’t get all “proactive” on me. He was sitting at a table with Jamal and a couple of other guys from the baseball team. Maybe he forgot about our Hailey-arranged lunch date. I looked around for another place to sit and heard my name, or my rather lovely nickname, from behind me.
    â€œHey, Pasty, I was just hanging with them until I saw you. Want to sit here and talk about the play?”
    My shoulders, which must have been next to my ears, relaxed. Finally I had Michael all to myself in what felt like a really long time.
    â€œYes!” I said, a little too enthusiastically.
    â€œShould we wait for Hailey?” he asked. That’s just one more thing I like about Michael. He’s always a nice guy.
    â€œNo, she’ll be here soon,” I said, kind of hoping she’d skip lunch for some unknown reason. I felt guilty as soon as I had the thought.
    We put our bags down at the table and stood on line. We both decided to get the organic option—rice-and-bean burritos with fresh salsa. Yum.After we brought our trays back to our table, I saw Hailey walk in. I hoped she wouldn’t come and do something like shove my chair even closer to Michael’s than it already was. She seemed like she was walking toward us, and then she suddenly sat down with a few girls we were friends with. I caught her eye and motioned her over, but she just gave me a thumbs-up and started chatting it up with our friends. That’s Hailey for you. Just when she does something to drive me crazy, she makes up for it big-time.
    â€œSo, the play is in two weeks,” I said. “When should we see it?” I hoped he wouldn’t think this was too forward of me, or that I was asking him to see it with me.
    â€œWell, when were you planning to see it?”
    I hadn’t really thought about the logistics of this. Okay, if I’m being honest ,