Just Like the Movies Read Online Free PDF

being sort of a jock, I neverthought I’d have a chance over the eternally tanned, coiffed, and lip-glossed. But Tommy said he liked my devotion to my sport and my competitive edge. He came to watch me run at every meet that spring. By the time we lost the county championship that year, Tommy and I were inseparable. We spent that whole summer in complete bliss.
    Well,
almost
complete bliss.
    The first time Tommy and I argued was a month after we’d started dating and I saw him flirting with Kari Caprice at a pool party. Of course he said he was just chatting with her, but everyone knows Kari’s been crushing on Tommy since he moved here. Then, a few months later, I was on vacation with my family when photos popped up on Facebook of Tommy with his arm around Miranda Hoffman. Once again, he denied that it was anything romantic.
    â€œBaby, it was a picture—don’t you ever put your arm around someone in a picture?”
    Which I guess sort of made sense. Not that it made me feel any better. It seems like I’m always chasing after Tommy, demanding an explanation of why he was hanging all over someone who wasn’t me.
    So it’s sort of become, like, a
challenge
to keep Tommy. As a serious competitor, I’m hoping this dress will be another win for me. I mean, he always says I have nothing to worry about, that I’m the only one for him. But still—showing a little skin shouldn’t hurt my cause.
    When I come downstairs for breakfast, my parents are standing at the island talking quietly over coffee.
    â€œHoney, you look so nice!” Mom says. I attempt an awkward curtsy.
    â€œI figured that I should greet my fans in my formal wear.”
    Dad nods. “Absolutely. You must always dress the part so as not to disappoint your adoring public.”
    â€œI know, right?”
    I grab a banana from the fruit bowl and a yogurt from the fridge before pulling my backpack off the hook by the door.
    â€œI’ll see you guys after school.”
    â€œNo practice today?”
    â€œNope. We actually get a break this week.”
    â€œOkay, sweetie. Have a good day,” they say in unison. I shake my head. My parents truly are
too
cute, like they’ve been carved out of something fluffy and pastel colored. Sometimes they are a little obnoxious in their high-school-sweetheart love. Being the by-product of my parents’ relationship can be a burden too. It’s a lot to live up to when you’re the end result of the world’s most adorable love story.
    Tommy’s late picking me up, which isn’t a huge surprise. Since he started driving me to school, I think he’s been on time a total of once—and that was the day I’d asked him to be early. We always make it to school, but mymornings usually include a mad dash to first period and, often, an apologetic smile to Mr. Pearson when I duck in a few seconds late.
    In the old days, I probably would’ve texted one of my girlfriends while I was waiting. I used to be the student government secretary, up until last spring, and my old best friend, Courtney, is still the president. But when I had to make a choice of what to commit to as a senior, time with track and Tommy outweighed school fund-raisers and committees. Since then, I just haven’t felt close to Courtney, or any of my old friends, really. Track and Tommy suck up all of my time and energy now. Not to mention school. And my far-too-perfect parents.
    I pull up Facebook on my phone and start scrolling through the status updates below my profile. There’s a reminder to the track team about this morning’s plan—we’re all meeting in front of the school so we can walk in together. I glance down the street again, then at my watch. If Tommy is too much later, I’ll miss our grand entrance completely.
    I continue scrolling until I see Laura Browning’s tiny profile picture, with comments underneath her status post. I can see her