Survival of the Fiercest Read Online Free PDF Page A

wasthe first time she was hanging out with Kyle, and she didn’t want him to think she was a complete tomboy.
    â€œI actually know Austin from Battle of the Bands.” Kyle tugged at the gray sweatshirt tied around his waist.
    â€œWait—” Andie said, stopping in the middle of the gravel path. A three-year-old on a tricycle rode between them, pushing the pedals with great effort. “You played at Battle of the Bands? The one in June—at Arlene’s Grocery?” Every year, Arlene’s Grocery, a former bodega turned concert space, let the local high school kids compete for a chance to play at one of their Friday night shows. Usually Andie and her best friend, Cindy Ng, cheered for Austin’s band, Nightlight Destroyers, even though their music sounded like screeching tires.
    â€œYeah, just the one for middle schoolers,” Kyle said. “You’ve heard of it?”
    Andie grabbed him. “I was there!” She looked at her hand on his arm, feeling her cheeks flush. She pulled it away and continued walking, keeping her eyes on the sidewalk. It was just too much of a coincidence. He’d probably been standing only a few feet away from her that very night. It was strange she hadn’t realized it sooner. “Which band are you in?”
    â€œThe Wormholes?” Kyle asked, his cheeks a deep red.
    â€œNo way.” She stared at him in shock, like he had just told her he spent last fall touring with Death Cab for Cutie. In June she and Cindy had not only seen the Wormholes, they had become obsessed with them, listening to their album Spacetime on repeat for five days straight. But she hadn’t recognized Kyle at all. Suddenly it dawned on her: The lead singer K.L. always wore aviators and a headband, swinging his head back and forth to the music. “ You’re K.L.?” Andie felt goosebumps prickling up on her arms, something that only happened when she was freezing or insanely nervous.
    â€œYeah, it’s kinda my band.” Kyle laughed. He noticed Andie’s goosebumped skin as they crossed Fifth Avenue. “Here—you look cold,” he said, passing her his sweatshirt.
    â€œThanks,” Andie managed. She wrapped it around her shoulders gratefully. Kyle Lewis, a.k.a. K.L., wasn’t just the lead singer of the Wormholes—he was a minor celebrity at Ashton Prep. After the Battle of the Bands show, every seventh-grader started following the Wormholes on Twitter. Cindy had discovered “K.L.”’s profile on Facebook, which said he was an eighth-grader at Donalty. Still, both of them were too embarrassed to actually friend him—they didn’t want to seem like groupies.
    â€œUh…Andie? Isn’t this your house?” Kyle had stopped against the wrought iron fence.
    â€œRight.” Andie had been so busy studying Kyle’s face, trying to picture him in aviators and a headband, she hadn’t realized where they were. She walked up to Kyle, close enough that she could see the tiny freckles that covered the tip of his nose. “Thanks for the sweatshirt,” she said, pulling it from her shoulders.
    â€œNo, you can borrow it,” he said, pointing to her bare arms, which still looked like a plucked chicken. “You’re freezing.”
    â€œThanks.” She wrapped it around her shoulders and looked up into Kyle’s brown eyes. She couldn’t believe this was the same Kyle who, just three days ago, was standing in her foyer. “So I’ll see you again next week?” Say yes , she thought, imagining themtogether every Tuesday, jogging around the reservoir and stopping for Pinkberry on their walk home. Just say yes .
    â€œFor sure.” Kyle ran his thumb along the strap of his Adidas duffel bag. “But maybe we can talk before then—online?”
    Andie tried to steady her voice. “Definitely. My screen name is Sloane28.”
    â€œCool, I’ll remember