The Lonely Hearts Club Read Online Free PDF Page B

single again.
    So. Unfair.
    I knew this. But it was still extremely awkward to be with Diane after school. I kept hearing a voice in my head that said, the only reason she didn't cancel on you is because she doesn't have a boyfriend.
    On our way over to the diner, we talked about our families,
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    and how Rita was doing at college, and how her mother was remodeling their kitchen . . again. When we got there, we talked about classes. then what we were going to order. then, when it seemed like the only thing left besides the breakups (ours, hers .. . pick one) was to discuss the weather, we simply stared at each other.
    "So," Diane finally said as she picked at her salad. "How's Nate? Does he still spend the summer with you guys?"
    My stomach tightened. "I don't want to talk about it."
    "Oh." Diane looked down, realizing her question had backfired. She seemed so sad as she pushed her fork around her plate.
    Finally, she looked up again. "Can I tell you something?"
    I shrugged.
    'I've always been a little bit jealous of you."
    "Excuse me?" How could Miss Perfect, blond-hair, blue-eyes model Diane Monroe be jealous of me?
    "Seriously, Penny --I mean, seriously! Look at you! Do you have any idea how hard I have to work to look like this? I mean, look at what I'm eating, for the love of carbs!" Diane motioned toward her garden salad with fat-free dressing and then looked over at my turkey sandwich with cheddar cheese and mayonnaise and potato chips.
    "First off," she began, "you can eat anything and you have an awesome body."
    Whatever.
    "AND you have the coolest style. I choose what I'm going to wear based on what magazines tell me. I look the same as
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    everybody else. But you have your own funky style that nobody else could pull off You always have."
    In other words, I was a freak because I preferred All Stars over stilettos.
    "And, you know, I'm not stupid. I know people like you a whole lot more than they will ever like me."
    As Tracy would've said, what to the evs.
    Diane shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Well, I just wanted to tell you that."
    "Oh . . . thanks." I tried to give her a smile.
    She picked at her salad again. "Do you remember how when we were little we used to put on those concerts for your parents?"
    I nodded, surprised that Diane remembered the Beatles shows we'd performed in our basement.
    "What did your parents call your basement?"
    I sighed. "the Cavern." (the Cavern was the club in Liverpool where the Beatles had gotten their start.)
    "Right remember that you had to be John and I was Paul and we had stuffed animals be Ringo and George." She started to laugh, leaning in. "And then we did that little routine in the cafeteria that summer up at the lake."
    "When we went white-water tubing?"
    Diane's eyes lit up. "Exactly! What were those guys' names?"
    I looked down at the table, trying to remember the two brothers who'd hung out with us for that week.
    "I just remember you completely schooling that one guy in air hockey." We both started to laugh. "Seriously, Penny, I
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    thought your arm was going to come out of your socket, you were swinging it around so much." Diane started to flail her arms around fiercely and nearly knocked over her water.
    And then something unexpected happened.
    It was if the past four years had disappeared. As if it was just the other day that she was carrying around my books while I hobbled on crutches with a sprained ankle. the two of us began to reminisce about our friendship, and before we realized it, over an hour had passed, Diane looked thoughtfully at me, "Wow, Penny, it's been too long. We always had the best time together."
    I smiled at her. We'd done everything together, made the promises that best friends make when they're in grade school -- we'd go to the same college, get an apartment together, be each other's maid of honor . . .
    Diane started to tap the table nervously. "I also wanted to tell you that I'm sorry." tears were forming in her eyes. "I'm sorry that I