Thousand Words Read Online Free PDF Page A

else’s life.
    There was a tiny voice in the back of my mind wondering if I was really going to do this. I was an honor student. An athlete. I made dinner with my parents every night and I got awards and I was a virgin. I rarely drank, I was responsible, I was not the kind of person who normally did something like this.
    But what did that mean,
something like this
? It’s not like this was a huge deal. People did it all the time. It was just for fun. Who would it really hurt?
    Locked inside the bathroom, I turned on the light and shed my bikini, then faced the mirror, immediately feeling really stupid. There was no way I could actually take this picture. What if he didn’t like it? What if he got mad at me for sending it? What if he thought I looked ugly?
    My breasts were way too small—one of those athletic chests boys are always complaining about. My hair was in nasty, half-dried ropes, and my eyes were red from the chlorine. I closed them and took a deep breath, straightening my thoughts.
    I was not ugly. Kaleb would never think I was ugly. How many times had he told me he thought I was beautiful? Every time we talked, almost. I was just nervous. And nervous about what?
    I opened my eyes and studied myself again.
    At least I was tan. I worked out every day, so I was in good shape. And it’s not as if anyone is perfect, right? And, seriously, like Rachel said, Kaleb was a guy. He was not going to be picky.
    And he loved me. He would love this. He would love that we shared this.
    I raked my fingers through my hair to break up some of the tangles, then held the phone in front of me and off to the side so everything was showing in the full-length mirror. I heard the music pounding outside and distant laughter and some squeals. A splash. The sound of something falling over with a clang in the kitchen. A car honk. I thought I could even hear the electricity buzzing in the lightbulbs. Or maybe the buzzing was coming from the adrenaline coursing through me. Vonnie and Rachel would never believe I’d done this.
    “Just do it,” I said aloud, and before I could give it any more thought, I struck a pose with my free arm draped over my head sexily, cocked one hip to the side, pooched my lips, and took the picture.
    I turned the phone around and gazed at the screen. I was surprised to see that I didn’t look as bad as I’d thought I might. My pose was good, and the wet hair gave the shot an even sexier vibe. My heart was pounding as I thumbed a message— WISH YOU WERE HERE XOXO —and hit Send. And then stood, holding my phone up against my stomach and staring at myself unbelievingly in the mirror.
    I got dressed in my street clothes, feeling way too exposed in my bikini all of a sudden, and raced back up the stairs. I grabbed a glass of water on my way out to the patio. My throat felt parched and swollen, and my hands were definitely shaking.
    As soon as Rachel and Vonnie saw me coming, their faces lit up with interest. Vonnie had moved to my lounge but scooted over and patted the plastic next to her. I could tell by the looks on Cheyenne’s and Annie’s faces that they’d been filled in on what I’d been doing inside.
    “Well…?” Rachel said as I made my way over.
    I nodded, biting my lower lip. “I did it.”
    They all gasped. “Shut up, you did?” Vonnie crowed.
    I nodded again. “Full frontal.”
    “Oh my God, full frontal? Even my brother’s slutty girlfriend only shows her boobs,” Rachel said.
    My face felt more on fire than it had during that morning’s run. I snapped my fingers, diva-style, and jokingly gestured down the length of my body. “That’s because your brother’s slutty girlfriend doesn’t have this,” I said.
    We all collapsed into laughter, the girls saying they couldn’t believe it, they never thought I’d actually go through with it, they’d never have had the guts to do it, and holy crap, what was Kaleb going to say.
    “Let me see it,” Vonnie said, holding out her hand.
    I