Set the Record Straight! Read Online Free PDF

mom, either!” Hailey’s eyes flashed.
    â€œWell, does he have any idea how much you like him?” I asked. Based on my own not-extensive experience, I know you can sometimes think someone knows you like them, but it turns out they don’t know at all.
    Hailey shook her head. “No.”
    â€œAre you sure?” I asked.
    She shook her head harder. “I’m positive.”
    â€œWait, when you talk to him, do you flirt or what?” I asked.
    Hailey looked away. “I’ve never talked to him. I don’t even know if he knows my name!”
    â€œWhaaaat?! Hails, how do you even know if you like him, then?”
    She met my eyes. “He’s really cute and he’s really good at soccer. He seems nice.” She shrugged.
    â€œAnd that’s all it takes?” I asked.
    She shrugged again. “I don’t know. I guess. I’ve never really had a crush before, except kind of on Michael. And you picked him.”
    I took a deep breath to keep from strangling her. Then I tried hard to remember my mom’s advice about giving advice. Let people work through their own process. But don’t give advice that you wouldn’t take yourself. I started slowly, not wanting to blurt out anything I couldn’t take back. “Okay, first of all, you need to find out if Amanda Huxtable is really his girlfriend. Then, if not, and he is unattached, then . . . you need to actually speak with him beforethis goes any further. He might be a total nerd!”
    â€œHow am I supposed to speak with him?” she wailed.
    I pressed my lips together, and thought hard. After a few seconds I had an aha moment! “Can you ask your coach to do a boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer practice together?”
    Hailey looked at me in shock and then her whole face lit up. “You’re a genius! I love you! You always give the best advice! I’m telling you, next year, they’d better make you Dear Know-It-All or else they’re going to hear from me!” She gave me a huge hug and then trotted off happily.
    Well, maybe I’m not totally terrible at this advice stuff!
    I gathered my books and then headed off to class. As I passed the Cherry Valley Voice office, I happily poked in my head, feeling confident about helping Hailey and armed with my mom’s new advice. There wasn’t anyone in there, so I hopped onto the computer farthest from the door and went onto the server to see what had come in for Dear Know-It-All. Unfortunately, there was only onee-mail, and it was about school lunch and “Why can’t they make it better?” Well, at least I was on the right track with that!
    I logged out and quickly crossed the room, locking the office door so no one could go in. I whipped out Trigger’s taxi keychain and hastily opened the Dear Know-It-All mailbox, grabbed a letter from inside, and slammed it shut, relocking it. Then I darted out into the hall, wedging the letter down into my messenger bag. My heart was pumping hard. I guess now I could see why Trigger thought of all this as spyish. I felt like James Bond completing a mission. I couldn’t imagine not getting caught, especially getting the letters out of the mailbox, so it felt like a major victory. Phew. Journalist Success at Top-Secret Assignment!
    The only bummer was, after all that, I wouldn’t be able to mention the lunch letter to Michael at our lunch about lunch! Ugh!

    â€œOkay, what do we know?”
    Michael looked distractingly adorable in hislong-sleeved turquoise T-shirt. His eyes reflected the shirt’s color, and his dark skin and hair looked amazing against the brightness of his shirt.
    â€œHmm?” I asked, caught daydreaming about going on a date with him to the movies and holding hands.
    Michael snapped his fingers. “Hello? Earth to Pasty! Let’s hear back that list of what we know about school lunch.”
    â€œRight.” The word