Time After Time Read Online Free PDF Page A

lots of beaches and rocks and vista point views, but my eye goes straight to a close-up photo of a man with dark, wrinkled skin, holding a guitar and wearing the warmest smile.
    “These are really good,” I tell her. “ Really good.” I watch the flush creep into her cheeks.
    “They have this darkroom in their basement. I spent hours in there with Señora Moreno and her daughter, learning how to develop film. It was incredible.” She shrugs. “When I told Dad, he said he might be able to build one for me in that old shed in the backyard.” She reaches for her camera and aims it at my face. “Until then, it’s one-hour photo. Smile. I don’t have a single picture of you.”
    I reach around her waist and pull her down onto the rug next to me. “There’s no reason for a picture of me if you’re not in it.”
    She laughs as she extends her arm as high in the air as she can and aims the lens at us. Click. She kisses me on the cheek. Click. She sticks out her tongue and I crack up. Click. And then, in one fluid series of motions, I take the camera out of her hands, set it on the floor, and roll over on top of her, kissing her like I’ve wanted to all night.
    But the longer we kiss, the guiltier I feel. I promised I wouldn’t keep secrets from her any longer. “Anna,” I say. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
    The knock is soft, but startling enough to send us scampering in opposite directions. The door was ajar as instructed and we didn’t have much time, but we move so quickly that by the time Mrs. Greene’s head pops in, Anna and I are already sitting up, a generous amount of shag rug between the two of us.
    “Your dad and I are going to bed,” she says.
    “Okay. Good night,” Anna says brightly.
    Her mom clears her throat. “That means that Bennett needs to leave now.”
    “Mom—” Anna huffs.
    “It’s okay.” I stand up quickly and cross the room toward my backpack. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say to Anna. I squeeze past Mrs. Greene and into the hallway, heading for the front door.
    I’m just about to turn the knob when I hear Anna’s voice behind me. “Wait a sec!” I turn around and find her halfway down the stairs. “Where are you going?” she whispers.
    I shrug. “I don’t know. I’ll probably just go home and come back in the morning.”
    She looks around to be sure her dad’s out of earshot. “What, like, home-home? San Francisco home ?” She doesn’t add 2012 home , but I know that’s what she means.
    “Yeah, it’s too late to go to Maggie’s now. Don’t worry. I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll go over to her house and then we can go do something together.”
    She shakes her head hard. “No. I mean, you’re here. You can’t just… leave .”
    I don’t want to leave, but I picture the look on Mrs. Greene’s face a minute ago and think it’s probably better not to push my luck tonight. I go could back to San Francisco, to the tiny garage, and crash in the Jeep. Or I could go back to my room and hope my parents don’t walk in and find me. Come to think of it, maybe Anna’s right. I might be better off staying put. I could always sleep on the couch in the back room of the bookstore.
    Anna holds up a finger. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” Before I can say another word, she’s gone, flying back up the stairs.
    I stand in the foyer and look around. On my left, I see the built-in bench, and on the wall above it, a row of empty coat hooks. It reminds me of the first time I came to this house. Anna had stayed home from school, and when I showed up, she took my jacket and hung it there. Then I told her my secret, showed her what I could do. Took her somewhere warm and far away. I consider doing it again tonight.
    I hear her bare feet padding down the stairs. She’s holding an armful of bedding. “You’re sleeping on the couch.”
    My eyes dart to her parents’ bedroom door at the top of the stairs. “No way.” I rub my forehead hard with my