Present Perfect Read Online Free PDF Page B

off of me.
    When he reached me, his arms immediately wrapped around my waist, and he lifted me off the ground. He spun me around a couple of times, causing me to squeal.
    “Can you believe it, Tweet? League champs!” Excitement ricocheted off of him.
    I felt a shiver radiate through me when my body slid down his as he placed me back on the ground. I swallowed hard as I steadied myself.
    “I know. Congratulations! You did it! I’m so proud of you.”
    He took his cap off and placed it on my head. It was soaked with his sweat, but I didn’t care. I beamed up at him for a few seconds before I was startled by the clearing of a throat.
    “Oh, Noah, this is Beth. She just moved…” I trailed off.
    I wasn’t sure why I didn’t tell him she lived in our neighborhood. I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. Besides, Beth would tell him where she lived eventually. I just felt very protective of him all of a sudden. I didn’t like the way she looked at him or talked about him. Beth would have to find her own Noah. This one was taken and he was mine.

 
    A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.-Author Unknown
    (Damn, I wish I’d written that.)
     

     
    “What do you think?” Noah asked, while we sat at the picnic table in the neighborhood park. This had become ‘our spot’ .
    It was the end of summer vacation. This time next week, we’d officially be high school freshmen. I wanted to enjoy every minute of tonight because once school started, time spent here would be limited. I loved coming to ‘ our’ spot at night. Tonight, there was a slight breeze so it wasn’t as hot as it had been. The crickets were singing in the trees all around us and you could hear an occasional ripple of water from the pond when the ducks would paddle by.
    Noah was sitting very close to me. We were both wearing shorts and the feel of our bare thighs touching was something new and exciting. I noticed just before the summer, he had started being more affectionate with me. Noah had always been sweet, but recently he hugged me more, held my hand more, and sat closer to me. I liked it. A lot. My body tingled every time he was this close.
    We were sharing his set of ear buds listening to music. Both of us were huge music fans; alternative, indie, punk, rock, etc. The music of our favorite band, Lifehouse, was pulsating through the ear buds.
    “They’re awesome,” I said, swaying side to side, my eyes closed, letting the music flow through me. “The entire CD is brilliant. The song ‘ Everything’ is my favorite.”
    “Mine too. It reminds me of you,” he said.
    I quickly glanced at him, not sure if I heard what I thought I heard. I looked down and closed my eyes again. When the song ended, I looked over at Noah and caught him staring at me with a slight smile across his face.
    “What are you smiling at?” I asked.
    “You, I like watching you listen to music. You get so lost in it.”
    Our eyes locked as I sucked in my lower lip, running my teeth over it. I felt a warm blush start to creep across my cheeks. I smiled at him, as I handed back the ear bud.
    “Do you think they’ll go on tour soon?”
    Noah shrugged. “Maybe.”
    “If they come to town we have go to see them. I bet they’re unbelievable in concert.”
    Suddenly, he hopped off the table and stood in front of me. Reaching into the back pocket of his cargo shorts, he produced two tickets, and held them up in front of me. He tried to contain it, but the grin on his face was getting bigger and more adorable each second.
    “Performing Arts Center, three weeks, you and me, Tweet,” he said excitedly.
    It took a second for me to register what he had just said. This would be the first concert either of us had been to. It was hard to contain my excitement.
    “You’re kidding?!”
    “Nope.”
    I jumped up and flew into his arms, causing him to stumble backwards, and fall to the ground with me landing