Perfectly Hopeless Read Online Free PDF Page A

him.”
     
    Maven took a seat. She pushed her hair from her eyes, studying her fingernails. “I don’t know, Mom. He seems nice enough. And I really enjoyed talking to him.” Her cheeks warmed at even this admission.
     
    Maggie listened attentively. She wished every night she could find a boy she enjoyed being around. But she was barely fourteen and her parents were never going to allow it. And most boys that she knew did really strange things. Rocky, the rich boy in her class was constantly trying to stick his hands up every girl’s skirt. She found it a bit gross, but at the same time intriguing.
     
    “ What do you know about him?” Her mother frowned, causing the crease between her pale eyebrows to intensify. “You were gone for quite some time. I can’t believe you didn’t talk about everything under the sun.”
     
    Maven pursed her lips.
     
    “ Yeah Maven, what’s he like?” Maggie smirked, exposing her toothy grin. She slid her messy hair behind her ear. Maven smiled at her. There was something about her sister’s ingenuousness that made her immediately happy, even if most of the time Maggie was busy saying all the wrong things.
     
    “ He’s very humble. And he has a nice sense of humor.” She looked at her mom. “And he is forever trying to keep busy. And he did something that Jake never did even once in our entire relationship.” Everyone’s eyes were glued to Maven, waiting for her next words. “He did something to make me happy.”
     
    Maggie scrunched her nose. “Like what, Maven?”
     
    “ We got to talking about things and he told me he would go swimming with me if that would make me feel better. He knew I was sad and he was trying to make me feel better.”
     
    Her mother shut her mouth before she said anything to upset Maven. She hadn’t seen her daughter happy in a long time. Who was she to ruin it?
     
     
     
    “ Something smells good in here,” Maven’s father said, resting his briefcase on the counter. He kissed all three of them before pulling up a seat next to Maggie. “How’s everything around here?”
     
    Maggie looked at Maven to respond. “Nothing much, just waiting on dinner, Dad.” Maven knew to keep tight-lipped on the topic of boys around her father. He was still trying to get over the first one that broke her heart. He was strict and it took a lot of prying to allow Maven to seriously date Jake, even when they grew up together. Not to mention the anger that seemed to ooze from his every pore whenever his name was mentioned in the house anymore.
     
    “ Maven made a friend,” Her mom said, resting a bowl of salad on the countertop.
     
    Maven’s eyes were huge. She couldn’t believe her mom had the nerve to tell him.
     
    “ Oh?” Was all he said in return.
     
    Maggie nodded. “Yeah, I think Maven has a crush on him, too.”
     
    Maven smoothed her hair down, feeling a bit uneasy. She wondered what her dad would say next. But before he could say anything her mother spoke. “She says his name is Henri.”
     
    Dad gave a nod. “That’s wonderful news. I am going to read this paper. Call me when dinner is done.”
     
    Maven watched him walk away. She was thunderstruck. “Since when doesn’t he care?”
     
    Mom smiled. “Oh he does. Anything is better than Jake right?”
     
    Maven gave a measured nod confused. Anything was better than Jake, but this easy going attitude was a bit atypical to her.
     
    Maggie jumped down from the barstool. “Maybe Dad feels now that you have had your heart broken you are mature enough to make better choices.” She shrugged, heading out of the room.
     
     
     
    Dinner ended. And after helping her mother with the dishes she went out to the porch. Nick was sitting on the big porch swing texting away.
     
    “ Hey, Mave.”
     
    “ Hey, what are you doing?” She asked, taking a seat next to him. The swing picked up speed and they fell into sync swaying back and forth.
     
    “ I am texting April about