The Wright Brother Read Online Free PDF Page B

catch his eye so she could say she was sorry, but he wouldn’t look at her.
    Disgusted with herself and beyond embarrassed, it was an effort to pretend like nothing had happened.
    Halfway through lunch Joey Crawford, star quarterback of the Bay Consolidated High Mariners, sauntered up to their table. “Slummin’ it, I see, Adrian.”
    With his short brown spiky hair and his rich brown eyes, he made her heart flutter. Every girl in school wanted to be with Joey, and right now, Joey wanted to be with her.
    It made a girl feel special.
    He planted his hands on the table, leaning forward until their faces were close enough to kiss. To her left Chastity snickered and Elisa’s throat grew warm. The spicy scent of his aftershave was all she could smell.
    “Joey?” She smiled. “What do you want?”
    He took a deep breath, as if considering something important. “I’m the hottest guy in school, you’re the hottest girl, bada bing bada boom.” He winked. “So what do you say?”
    Her brows twitched. “Jeez, that was lame. Wasn’t that lame, Chas?” She turned to her friend, who was having a helluva time hiding her humor at the situation.
    “Totally, straight up lame as hell,” Chastity agreed and then took a huge bite out of her apple, as if for emphasis.
    Joey snorted. “Fine. Come with me to homecoming.”
    Elisa flicked at her milk carton. “You asking me? Or telling me?”
    His pretty eyes narrowed. “Whatever it takes to make you say yes.”
    Laughing, and very aware of the multiple sets of eyes on them, she nodded. “Don’t wear brown. You look terrible in brown.”
    Pretending to be affronted he clutched his chest. “Damn girl, you telling me I have to go shopping again?”
    “A price must be paid, Joey.” She sniffed.
    They sealed their date with a handshake, which was probably not at all what Joey would have wanted. For months now Elisa had gotten the feeling that Joey was going to ask her to be his girlfriend.
    Which was cool. She had every intention of saying yes, but Mom had always told her guys didn’t like desperate girls, so until he asked, she’d continue to play coy. But even though she got the feeling he would, he never actually had. They flirted like crazy, but not much beyond that, which had begun to make her wonder whether it was all in her head.
    With a wink and an air kiss to her, Joey turned and pumped his fists in the air as the table he’d been sitting at erupted with cheers of, “Score!”
    The silly smile died on her face when Julian’s chair scraped back. He didn’t look down at her or even wave goodbye. Picking up his tray, he turned and walked away.
    She didn’t see him again in school that day.
    And after Rome and Chris’s game, the Wrights went to the Adrian’s for dinner, which she hoped would be her opportunity to talk with him. But tonight Julian didn’t show.
    Which made Elisa feel terrible. She shouldn’t feel terrible about it. But she did. She wasn’t sure what she was doing wrong, but Julian was obviously upset with her. Was it the ear comment?
    Or her making the date with Joey?
    Her mouth grew dry at the thought. Did Julian like her more than he should? No way.
    She almost laughed at that dumb thought. Julian barely even spoke to her. There was no way that he was upset about the Joey thing, which meant he was angry about the ear thing. She sighed. Maybe he’d feel better in the morning.
    But her hopes for getting a chance to apologize flew out the window when he failed to show the next day too.
    It was stupid to think he wouldn’t go because of her, but he didn’t show up to dinner again that night, either.
    She knew she needed to apologize to him for the comment she’d made to Chastity, but there was no way to do it when he continually refused to show up. When she’d asked Roman about it Thursday night at dinner, he’d just shrugged.
    But it was Mrs. Wright who’d glanced up at her with a sad look in her eyes and lips that’d thinned down to slits