Friends Forever Read Online Free PDF Page B

kind of law enforcement, watched every possible crime and police show on TV, and had taken to reading books about the FBI. Billy was equally obsessed with sports, especially football, and had a huge collection of signed baseball and football cards. Gabby had gotten several more local modeling jobs and was in The Nutcracker and two school plays, in the leading roles. Andy was at the top of their class with flawless grades, and Izzie was developing a strong social conscience and had done volunteer work at a homeless shelter for families, and collected toys for the children at Christmas. She even used her allowance to buy more toys than the donations covered.
    Billy and Gabby were the first to announce a major change. They spent a lot of time together over Christmas vacation, and when they came back to school, they said they were boyfriend and girlfriend.
    “You are?” Izzie stared at her best friend with wide eyes when Gabby told her. “What does that mean?” She lowered her voice conspiratorially and glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. “Did you do it ?” she whispered with a look of amazement, and Gabby laughed, that clear bell-like sound that Izzie was convinced would one day make her a movie star.
    “Of course not, we’re not stupid,” Gabby said confidently. “We’re not old enough to ‘do it.’ We’re going to wait till high school or college. We just know we love each other.” She seemed absolutely certain, which impressed Izzie immensely.
    “How do you know?” Izzie was fascinated. They all loved each other in their tight little group of friends, but she wouldn’t have thought of becoming boyfriend and girlfriend with Sean, Andy, or Billy. As far as Izzie was concerned, they were best friends. So how did Billy and Gabby know they were different? What had happened to them over Christmas?
    “He kissed me,” Gabby confessed to her, “but don’t tell my mother. We just decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend.” Gabby seemed extremely pleased about it, although she looked no different to Izzie. And they were the only two in the group who had kissed. There wasn’t even a boy Izzie liked in eighth grade, and certainly not enough to kiss. “You and Sean should hook up like we did,” Gabby said, sounding very grown-up and older than her years, but Izzie looked appalled.
    “Yerghhhkkk! That’s disgusting. He’s my best friend!”
    “I thought I was,” Gabby teased her, amused at her reaction to the suggestion about Sean. He was getting better and better looking as he got older, although he was still a lot shorter than Billy. But some of the other eighth-grade girls thought he was hot. Sean didn’t care. He had no interest in girls yet, just crime shows and sports. And he treated Izzie like a sister.
    “You know you are my best friend,” Izzie said uncomfortably. “You all are. It just seems weird to have a boyfriend at our age.” Izzie looked confused and mildly disapproving. But Gabby always seemed more sophisticated than the others, and Billy was physically more mature. Gabby shrugged her shoulders, unconcerned.
    “Yeah, maybe. He’s nice to kiss, though,” Gabby said, and Izzie looked a little shocked at that, and after talking about it for a while, they walked into class together.
    Billy had basketball practice that day and was in the gym, but he had made the same announcement as Gabby to Sean and Andy that morning. Both looked impressed and wanted to know how far he’d gone with Gabby. Billy said they’d made out but hadn’t gone all the way. But his two best guy friends were as shaken as Izzie. It was the beginning of a whole new era in the group, now that Billy and Gabby were a couple. It made the others feel like losers and a little bit left out, since Gabby and Billy had added an element to their relationship that they didn’t share. It felt very strange to the remaining singles in the group, but gave Izzie no desire to have a boyfriend among them, or