SWAY (Part 1) Read Online Free PDF

undeniable. I sighed before turning around. Ryan Mullins was standing there, as I knew he would be, with an egotistical smile on his face. He had to have loved the fact that he’d just saved me from cracking my head open on the pavement—in public.
    “Sorry,” I mumbled, unsure why I was apologizing. I knew my face was red and hoped that this time he would ignore it.
    “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yanked the door open. I didn’t see you.”
    I smirked. Ryan laughed. “I didn’t see you because of the poster on the door.” He smiled again, amused. Then I remembered the life-size Louisville Slugger ad I’d glanced at before turning to leave the store, which only compounded my embarrassment.
    “Oh.” I put my head down. I thought he was being a smart ass when he said he hadn’t seen me.
    “You okay?” Ryan reached out and put his fingers beneath my chin, encouraging me to look up at him. As much as I didn’t want them to, my eyes seemed to get stuck when I looked into his, and once again, we stood gazing at each other. He was so unbelievably easy to get caught up in.
    “Hey Ryan!” I heard someone call from behind me. It was a girl, of course . Ryan’s eyes reluctantly moved away from mine to the girl. He made a strange noise then his eyes went wide. I turned to see what he was looking at. It was Ashley Carpenter. I only knew her because she’s also a junior, and a mat beater, which is what the football cheerleaders call the wrestling cheerleaders, because they sit when they cheer and often incorporate the edge of the wrestling mat.
    Ashley was wearing her uniform, standing with two other girls I didn’t know, also in cheerleading outfits. My mouth instantly fell open. They’d just come out of Baskin Robbins and As hley was gawking at Ryan while inappropriately licking her ice cream cone.
    That’s what she wan ted him to see.
    “ Ew, ugh,” I gasped, completely disgusted. She obviously had zero self-respect if she molested ice cream cones to get boys to look at her. When I turned to walk away Justin was standing there. He was also watching the nasty Ashley show.
    “Justin!” I scolded.
    “What—sorry, I was only trying to figure out what you two were looking at.” Justin was as wide eyed as Ryan. The two of them snickered. “Ew,” I repeated, scowling at them.
    I heard Ashley and her friends giggling as Ryan tried to keep me from leaving. “Annie, wait.”
    “For what? The other two to join in?” I asked hatefully.
    “Hey, I was just as surprised by that as you were.” I shook my head and kept walking.
    Justin caught up to me. He was still sort of laughing as he took a couple of my bags to carry.
    “Don’t say it!” I shook my head no.
    “What?” he gasped, a huge smile on his face.
    “I know there’s a sideways comment dying to come out of your mouth, but please keep it to yourself.” He was full on laug hing then, but agreed.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    6
     
    Thursday, Ryan showed up at my softball game. It was the only game that didn’t conflict with his baseball schedule, which I knew because of Justin. If mine held up, I wouldn’t get to see him play at all.
    Ryan appeared during the fourth inning and stood behind home plate, I guess because he knew I would have to look at him at some point, whether I wanted to or not. I’d been ignoring him at school since the Ashley ordeal.
    When the game was over, I grabbed my bat bag and exited the dugout. When I rounded the corner, Ryan was standing there. I almost ran into him. Again.
    “Sorry,” I mumbled. He didn’t respond—with words a nyway. He glared at me. His eyes had an angry edge, his lips were crushed together, his hands fidgeted at his sides. I only saw him for a moment as I walked by, but thought his reaction was a little overdone, especially since I hadn’t actually bumped into him.
    As I walked away, I began to feel unexpectedly insulted. I tried to shake it off as I looked for Justin and David in the bleac hers,