Girl Saves Boy Read Online Free PDF Page B

sat down. ‘What do you want to do after school?’
    ‘Maybe get an ice-cream, borrow a horror movie, curl up with a good book…’
    He shook his head. ‘You know what I mean. You have to plan something, Jewel. Anything. I know I’m not the careers counsellor, but why don’t you at least apply for a couple of universities? Make up a portfolio. You’ve got the talent, and you don’t have anything to lose. If that doesn’t work out, you can fall back on your plan of not having any plans.’
    ‘My no-plan plan. Yeah, and become an Art teacher,’ I said.
    Mr Carr’s lips twisted into a wry smile. ‘We’ll talk about this. And I’ll see if the careers counsellor can meet with you and your mother. There are so many opportunities available to you. You’d be silly not to take them up.’
    ‘Opportunities that you didn’t have?’ I asked.
    ‘Talent will open doors for you that wouldn’t be opened for other people,’ he said. ‘If you get motivated, dedicated, you can do anything. And maybe I wanted to end up an Art teacher. Maybe everyone can do what they want? Some people must want to be cleaners.’
    He paused, and it seemed as if he was going to say something more, but he didn’t.
    ‘You’d better head off now if you want to catch the bus,’ he announced, finally. ‘Thanks for sticking around.’
    ‘That’s all right,’ I said. ‘Could I, uh, ask you something?’
    ‘Fire away.’
    ‘You know, um, that boy you were talking to at the start of yesterday’s lesson?’
    Mr Carr’s face tautened. ‘Yes.’
    ‘Does he skip class often?’
    Mr Carr sighed. ‘I know his family from outside school. There’s some stuff going on—it isn’t your concern, Jewel.’
    Normally I wouldn’t ask anything this direct— even I knew it sounded a little rude—but my curiosity got the better of me.
    ‘What was he speaking to you about before I arrived?’ I asked. ‘I’m pretty sure everyone in the class heard.’
    He took a piece of paper from a stack of sketches and focused on it. I wasn’t sure how much time passed, but it couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, even though it felt like an hour.
    My lips and throat were dry. ‘You’re right, it isn’t my business. Sorry.’
    I picked up my things and made my way to the door.
    ‘Jewel?’ asked Mr Carr.
    I spun back around, ‘Yes, sir?’
    ‘Promise you’ll keep on drawing?’
    ‘Promise.’
    He smiled. The whole encounter was vaguely disconcerting.
    After a brief disagreement between me and the combination lock on my locker (I’m no good at remembering series of numbers, even short ones— actually, I’m not good with numbers at all), I collected my bag and walked out of school to the bus stop to wait for the late bus with the kids from band.
    A tall boy was across the road and when he looked in my direction I was too late in averting my eyes. He skip-hopped over, smiling and waving as if he knew me—I certainly didn’t know him, and two days isn’t long enough for people to start recognising you.
    ‘Hey, hey,’ he said. ‘Jewel!’
    ‘I don’t know you,’ I said, forcing a weak smile. ‘Sorry.’
    I was sitting on the edge of the seat, but somehow he managed to sit down beside me and I was pushed into half a dozen trumpet players, who collapsed like dominoes. One girl grumbled at me for making her drop her instrument case.
    ‘Sorry,’ I muttered, before I flicked my eyes back to the tall boy. ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘I’m sitting down,’ he said slowly. He dropped his bag between his feet and dug out a bag of M&Ms.
    ‘Are you mistaking me for someone else?’ I asked. ‘I really don’t know you. I’ve been here two days.’
    ‘Do you mind scooting over a bit?’ he said. ‘I need to organise these by colour.’
    ‘Why are you speaking to me?’ I asked.
    ‘I’m a friend of a friend,’ he said, as if that explained everything, and threw a red M&M into his mouth.
    I didn’t move over. ‘I don’t have any