Taking Chances Read Online Free PDF Page B

way to class,” I said.
    Jacqueline smiled. “He likes you, I can tell.”
    “Really?” I wondered.
    “I think so. I’ve known Spence since kindergarten. I’ve seen him go through crushes and relationships, and I think he might like you as more than just his friend from down the street.” She laughed.
    I smiled. “Thanks, Jacqueline.”
    “Oh, you can call me Jacquie if you want. I don’t know why Spencer used my full name. He never does anywhere else.” She laughed.
    “Alright.” I grinned. Jacquie seemed like a nice person I could get along with.
    After P.E., I was excited for History, which, I realized, I had with Michael.
    I sat down next to him when I saw him in the room.
    “Hey, Sydney,” he said.
    “Hi Michael. You know, my stepdad’s name is Michael too.” I tried to make it sound like a positive thing.
    “Yeah, it’s a really common name. I don’t really like it. You can call me Mike if it makes it easier.”
    “Are you sure?” I didn’t want him to lose his name just because my stepdad had it.
    “Yeah, people call me Mike all the time.” He smiled.
    I smiled back. Mike was sweet.
    The next week was surprisingly—safe. Michael and Maddie had been out somewhere on “vacation” using one of my last paychecks from Chicago. At school, I hung out with Spencer and his friends. They were all nice and welcomed me into their group with open arms.
    One day before class started, Spencer stopped me at my locker.
    “Hey, Sydney?” he asked.
    “Yeah?” I replied, facing him.
    “Um…I was wondering if maybe you’d want to, well, go out with me sometime? Just the two of us?” He didn’t look at me; he looked into his locker, grabbing his books.
    I smiled. “Like a date?” I thought back to just the other day when Jacquie had been talking about the rumors of Spencer and me being together… did that alter his thoughts about me? I wondered. Or has he always felt this way?
    “Sort of, I guess. Well…yeah.”
    “Sure,” I replied. “That’d be nice.”
    “Cool, um…how about this Saturday? There’s this new movie coming out that looks pretty good.”
    “Fine with me.” I smiled again.
    “Alright, I’ll pick you up at seven?”
    I nodded.
    “Okay, I’ll see you in P.E.”
    “See ya.” I watched him walk away, with a big grin on my face. I let out a deep breath and smiled. I’d just been asked out by Spencer Stevenson....
     
     
     

Chapter 4
    FIGHT
     
     
    After school on Friday, I decided to go shopping for groceries. There wasn’t a Wal-Mart or anything in Shabbona, just a little, overpriced market store, two ice cream shops and two gas stations. The closest Wal-Mart was in DeKalb.
    I went into my room and reached under my bed to find the jar of money I kept there. I counted the cash and sighed as I realized there was only fifty dollars left. Well, it would have to do. I took the cash and shoved it in my coat pocket as I ran downstairs.
    I knew I needed a new job, so when I was shopping, I picked up job applications at a few places including my favorite bookstore, Lakeview Books. I was surprised that there was a Lakeview this far away from Chicago, but apparently they were expanding. While I was picking up an application, I began to recognize the boy standing at one of the registers. He was about my height, maybe taller, with dark skin that showed he was either Filipino or Thai. His dark brown eyes stood out, and I couldn’t help but know who he was.
    “Matt?” I asked softly.
    The boy looked at me with curious eyes.
    “Sydney? Is that you?” he asked incredulously.
    “Yeah,” I smiled excitedly, walking over to the register where he stood.
    “What are you doing here?” he asked. “Don’t you live in Chicago?”
    “Yeah, but I just moved down here to my grandma’s farm,” I replied. Matt Johnson had been another one of the kids I hung out with at my grandma’s bonfires, like Spencer. Matt and I had been closer than Spencer and me, though. Matt’s mom had been