Initiation Read Online Free PDF Page B

us.
    â€œHe’s totally amazing,” I agreed. “When I found out about my acceptance, we sort of . . . froze. Neither of us wanted to break up, but we wanted the best for each other. As much as neither of us wanted to admit it, ‘the best’ wasn’t staying together, hardly seeing one another.”
    Khloe made a sad puppy face and I cleared my throat and sat up a little straighter. What was my problem? I’d been fine about the way Tay and I had left things. Hadn’t I?
    â€œLong-distance relationships,” Khloe concluded, “never work out. You did the right thing.”
    â€œHe deserved to have a chance to date someone he could actually go out with. And he wanted the same for me.”
    Khloe sipped her slushie. “Wow. Not many guys would be that mature. It sounds like he really, really cared about you. It’s probably hard being away from him?”
    â€œYeah,” I said, nodding. “But breaking up was the right thing to do. One hundred percent. Which doesn’t mean I can even think about him being with another girl yet. We decided to stay friends and had a fun summer hanging out. I can’t not have him in my life.”
    â€œOMG, it’s just like Pretty in Port Royal ,” Khloe gasped, clasping her hands. “Lovers forced to be away from one another because of distance. A boy and a girl secretly wanting each other, but agreeing to be friends instead.”
    I shook my head, biting back my smile and taking a deliberately loud sip of my drink.
    Khloe flopped on her back, her hand across her forehead. “Taylor will be away at Yates thinking about his quote— friend— unquote ex-girlfriend at Canterwood. Then, he’ll see you over Skype and he’ll want you back. Old flames will ignite—”
    â€œ ‘Old flames,’ ” I repeated. “You really should audition for a soap. Like, right now. That was exactly like a script of a two o’clock drama.”
    â€œSeriously!” she insisted. “He’ll want you. You’ll want him. But wait . . . a Canterwood guy will be sure to startpaying some attention. Probably more than one—but there will be one you like back,” Khloe continued. “Then you’ll be torn between a long-distance relationship or a . . . Hot. New. Fling.”
    â€œWhoa, whoa, whoa!” I laughed. “No relationships. No hot new flings. Break,” I said, saying the last word slowly. “I haven’t been single long enough to even think about other guys. And no way are Tay and I getting back together. I’m happy. He’s happy. The end.”
    â€œFor now.” Khloe giggled.
    â€œI think it’s time the tables get turned.”
    Khloe sat up straighter and tucked stray blond locks behind her ears. “Ask me anything.”
    â€œOkay, what about you? Any boyfriends past or present?” I asked.
    Khloe kicked her slushie with one last, long sip. “Over the summer, I met a guy through our mutual friend in Boston. Neither of us let it get too serious, though, because we both knew I’d be going back to Canterwood in the fall and that he’d leave for his own boarding school in North Carolina.”
    â€œWhat about Canterwood guys?” I asked. “No big crush on anyone or an ex I should know not to like, out of solidarity?”
    â€œHmm . . .” Khloe rested her head in her hand. “I usedto like this one guy in my theater class, but he didn’t feel it. He just looked at me as a theater partner.”
    â€œWhat makes you so sure?” I asked. “It was a theater class after all. Maybe he was covering his crushing by acting like you were just a friend.”
    â€œNo way. We ran lines, we had scenes together—if he liked me, I’d have known. Plus, he had plenty of chances to ask me out.”
    â€œDoes he know you’re interested?”
    â€œWell, I’ve been kind of subtle . .