Where You'll Find Me Read Online Free PDF

he’s definitely staring at you,” Misty says. “Look.”
    When I look toward the center of the mall, it takes a minute to locate the guy they’re talking about. There’s a kiosk selling some kind of miracle face lotion. There are shoppers walking back and forth, some weighed down with bags, some empty-handed. But then I see him. Sitting on a bench in his Pumas, jacket, and jeans with his backpack resting next to him. Staring right at me. Garage Boy. Nate.
    I push the Petoskey stones out of my mind as emotions bubble to the surface: fear that Nate’s reach extends beyond my house, anger at him for stalking me, anger with myself for not seeing him as dangerous until now, and a twinge of annoyance that I found him attractive and still do.
    “Oh, he is cute,” Misty says. “Usually, I have a thing for guys with long hair, but he might change my mind.”
    I march over to him.
    “Wait, what are you doing?” Rosalinda asks, scrambling to keep up.
    This is not mall protocol. First of all, when a guy stares at us, he’s usually staring at Rosalinda, not me or Misty. Second, when a guy stares, the correct response is to stare back for a few seconds. Smile. Laugh. Flirt from afar. Spend the next hour or two watching out for the guy and trying to cross paths with him whenever possible. After all of that, then maybe allow him to approach and talk to us. I’m breaking every one of our unspoken rules.
    But at this moment, I don’t care. This isn’t some random guy. This is Nate, Garage Boy, and I don’t have time to stop and explain that to my friends. “What, you’re stalking me now?” My imagination drifts to a police interview after Nate does something terrible to me or my family. Let me get this straight , the imaginary officer says. Not only did you let him in your garage and in your house, but you also didn’t stop him from following you to the mall?
    “Well, hello, Hanley. It’s nice to see you, too,” Nate says with a smile I do a terrible job of ignoring.
    I lean closer to him so that the group of approaching mall walkers won’t hear, but set my tone to make sure Nate will get my message, loud and clear. “Stop following me. Leave me, my house, and my family alone. I mean it this time. If I see you again, I will call the cops.”
    I stand back to my full height, which, at five feet, is not nearly as tall as I need it to be right now and spin on my heel. Rosalinda and Misty are staring at me.
    As I start to walk away, Nate calls, “Okay, but I’m not the one following you. I think you followed me.”
    It’s the absolute absurdity of the comment that stops me in my tracks. When I turn back around, Nate is sitting there, cool as a cucumber, a smile planted on his face. “What?” I demand.
    “You followed me,” he repeats, as if I am deaf or slow. He motions to the mall around him. “I come here three or four times a week. It’s warm. There are people to watch and things to look at. Most of the time, people leave me alone. The way I see it, this is my turf. Not yours. You followed me.”
    Before I can begin to think of a response to that ridiculous speech, Rosalinda and Misty come up behind me.
    “Hey, Hanley,” Rosalinda says in her fake, flirty voice. She flips her curls over her shoulder. I bet she’s glad she left her hair down now. “Who’s your friend?”
    “He’s not my…” I start to say, but Nate jumps to his feet.
    “I’m Nate,” he says, reaching out a hand for her to shake. He’s all smiles.
    “Nate,” Rosalinda echoes. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rosalinda, this is Misty, and you obviously already know Hanley.”
    Nate shakes hands with Misty as well. This time it’s my turn to stare, dumbfounded, as I think of nothing other than slapping that ridiculous grin off his face.
    “Do you go to our school?” Rosalina asks. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around Edison.”
    “No. I don’t.” He doesn’t mention what school he does go to or the fact that he doesn’t