Six Steps to a Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

her.”
    “How?” I said, meaning: how, without making a total tit of myself like I did last time?
    “Get her on her own. Show her that you’re interested in something she’s interested in. Girls love that sensitive stuff. But don’t go all gushy and girly about it. Just be friendly.”
    “How do I find out what she’s interested in without talking to her?”
    Ryan rolled his eyes. “Look on the noticeboards at school. See if she’s signed up for any after-school stuff. Ask your sister. But be subtle. You’ve gotta make it clear to her you’re interested, but still look cool.”
    “I was stuck on that for weeks,” Tones said glumly. “Ry made me practice on about fifty girls before he said I was ready for . . . for her . . .”
    I wondered who the object of Tones’s desire was and how he had possibly managed to get anywhere near her.
    “Let’s practise,” Ryan said. “Look at me like you’re interested.”
    “What?” I said. “No way.”
    Ryan tutted. “Don’t be so uptight, man. This is where most guys fall down. They either get stuck on being friends or they go way over the top and frighten the girl off. It’s important.”
    “Why do I have to do some stupid ‘look’? Can’t I just go up to her and ask her out?” I said.
    “No,” Ryan said. “It’s gotta be a look first, or you’ve blown it before you’ve begun. Come on. Numbers cracked this first time.”
    Stung, I tried to look at him as if I fancied him. It was impossible. Ryan was studying my face intently, like I was a bug under a microscope. “Give me more,” he said.
    “Jesus,” I muttered. I tried to pretend I was looking at Eve and telling her with my eyes how much I liked her.
    “Whoa.” Ryan drew back in mock-horror. “Psycho alert. If you look at her like that she’ll think you’re some kind of stalker.”
    I felt my whole face flush with humiliation. “Well you do it if you’re so bloody clever,” I said.
    Ryan cocked his head on one side. “OK” He darted out of the living room, then reappeared about a minute later, Chloe’s school bag in his hand. “She’s looking for her homework,” he grinned. “Should be in in a moment.”
    I glared at him. “You’re not practising on my sister.”
    “Chill,” Ryan said. “It’s only a look, remember?”
    I sat there, feeling uneasy. A few minutes later Chloe barged into the living room. She saw her bag where Ryan had put it, on the table in the corner, and stomped towards it. “What the hell is this doing here?” she muttered.
    As she reached the table, Ryan sprang up and sauntered towards her. “Hi,” he said. “Chloe, isn’t it?”
    Chloe glanced at him. I grinned. She was clearly in a foul mood. And the way she looked at Ryan was exactly the same as the way Eve had looked at me – a sort of looking through you, like you weren’t really there.
    “I’m sorry about your dad,” Ryan said. “My dad died too, well my stepdad. The first few months are really tough.”
    My stomach tightened. Was that true? Ryan hadn’t mentioned a dead stepfather to me. For a second I had this image of Dad standing exactly where Ryan was now, in the middle of the room. Laughing.
    I pushed the memory away. Dad wasn’t here. I didn’t have to think about him.
    Chloe was looking at Ryan properly now. “Oh,” she said. “Er . . . thanks.” She picked up her bag and walked over to the door.
    Ryan jogged round behind her and got there first. He opened the door and pushed it back to let her pass. Now I could see his face, but not Chloe’s. He stared at her as she walked towards him. A deep, flirty, mysterious stare that seemed to shut out everyone else in the room. Chloe stopped. Though I couldn’t see her expression, she was obviously looking back at him. Ryan held her gaze for maybe just a couple of seconds, then smiled and looked away.
    My heart pounded. I was sitting here, watching some stupid bloke hit on my sister for a joke. No. Worse. To teach me how to pull