My Forever Read Online Free PDF

after school with us this week.”
     
    “Oh, right. Yeah
,
I think I will.”
     
    “Great.” Her smile is genuine.
     
    There’s some relief with that. It’s not that we’re not friends; it’s just the fact that she looks so pleased at my decision. I suddenly wonder if Michael said anything to her. The thought of more people knowing terrifies me.
     
    ~ ~ ~
     
    I find Michael easily once the students are gone. He’s sitting cross-legged on the floor with a notebook in his lap. He looks like he’s studying
,
and I surprise him when I sit down facing him, crossing my legs. Actually, my actions probably surprise me more than him. When did I get so brave? Our knees are almost touching.
     
    “How are things?”
h
e asks. I’m reminded again of how much I like his voice. It’s deep and warm. The whole feeling around him is easy and friendly
,
and he closes the notebook in front of him. For me.
     
    I can hear the student government kids in the room next to us
,
but we’re not close enough to make out the words.
     
    “I still don’t know.” I try to be honest. I have almost no one to talk to at this point, so the ones that I can talk to, I should probably be honest with.
     
    “Do your parents know?”
h
e asks.
     
    I shake my head and then shudder. At some point it’s all going to come out , and I dread seeing the shock and disappointment that’s sure to be on their faces. I wonder how angry my dad will be.
     
    “I don’t envy you there. There’s not a good way to bring that up.” He looks sympathetic but not condescending. It’s nice.
     
    “No, ” I agree.
     
    “How about you? What are you going to do?”
     
    “Well, abortion is out for me, I just couldn’t do it. I’m obviously not in a position to take care of a baby. My guess right now is that my mom would want to keep it and raise it as hers
,
but I don’t think I want that either.”
     
    “Which leaves putting the baby up for adoption.”
     
    I nod once.
     
    “Which probably is what brought you to me.”
     
    “I don’t know.” That is it
,
but there’s something more. Might be just that I find him cute but even as I have the thought, I know it’s not the reason either.
     
    Okay. Maybe a small part of the reason.
     
    “Is there someone in your church or something?”
h
e asks.
     
    Oh no. Dread seeps through me. There is one couple. I’d forgotten about them. They’re an odd pair . and I realize that for my dad, it’s probably going to be his favorite option. As much as he pushed for a large family, I think he’s done.
     
    He’d be able to give a great sermon on how the Lord works in mysterious ways and how a terrible sin of one person can occasionally bring joy to another. I can see his face now, all wrapped up in wonder and excitement. Enough to keep the crowd entertained without turning into one of those ‘ crazy Pentecostal groups .’ How am I going to get out of this? I take a deep breath and try to swallow.
     
    “Dani?” Michael looks at me expectantly.
     
    “Sorry. I get sidetracked a lot.” I feel bad. My mom is always telling me that people will feel like I’m not listening and don’t care if I’m lost in my own head. I don’t want Michael to think that.
     
    “You must have a good imagination.” He leans just slightly closer.
     
    I smile. I’ve always been accused of being spacey— good imagination seems a lot better. It makes me feel warm and comfortable in a way that I haven’t for a long time.
     
    “Thought of someone?”
     
    “The options all seem horrible. How did your parents end up with you?” I ask.
     
    “Through the Mormon church.”
     
    I stop. Like a rock to my chest or something. It feels crazy. “You’re Mormon ?”
     
    “Yeah.” He laughs. “I thought everyone knew that.”
     
    “I didn’t.” I’ve always been told how weird and crazy the Mormons are, ‘God makers’ they were dubbed by my father.
     
    “So, you know I was adopted, which almost no