Love Puppies and Corner Kicks by Bob Krech

Author:Bob Krech
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group

18

PIQUANT

Agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor.

HUGE piles of snow are everywhere, but school is open. And for the first time in my life, I’m glad I don’t have a snow day because I can’t wait to see Stewart. He was nice. He’s cute! (I can’t believe I said that.) He talked to me! I talked to him! And I didn’t stutter. Not much, really.

But I’m not sure about Stewart. I did stutter a little. It might be that he just feels sorry for me. I mean, he’s very good-looking, and I’m . . . okay, I guess. I should probably just forget it. But I can’t. I am back to being compelled.

One thing I am very, very, very lucky about though. Lynne and Becky ride the E bus. They always get into school last and leave first. That means they are not usually around when most of us put our stuff in the coat closet in the morning. And that’s my chance.

I walk in the closet and hang my coat up as slowly as I can. He’s not in yet. I am wearing an ironed white dress shirt and have pinned my skirt up another half inch. I rehearsed this all weekend in front of the mirror in my room. My heart is pounding. Deep breath. Hold it for a three-count. Let it out slowly. Deep breath. Hold if for a three-count. Let it out slowly.

“Did ye get in any trouble?”

I spin around. It’s Stewart! “Y-y-yes. I mean, no! Not really.”

He grins and runs a hand through his hair. “Well that about covers it all, ay?”

Now! Now is the time for my rehearsal line. I say it as casually as I can. “How um, uh, was—skiing?”

I have to lean on the wall to keep myself up because my knees are rubber. He smiles big. “Great. What did ye do this weekend?”

I can’t tell him I spent the weekend in front of a mirror practicing how to say “How was skiing?” I have to say something that will make me seem like a fascinating and intriguing kind of girl. Someone he will be dying to get to know.

“Uh, I, um . . .”

Mrs. Watkinson calls to the class, “Let’s get started on morning work.”

Stewart shrugs his shoulders and says, “Well, here we go.”

I cleverly reply, “Yep.”

We walk to our seats, where I collapse. I’ve had about all the conversation I can handle for today when Lynne suddenly appears at my desk. “This stinks,” she says.

“What?” I squeak. Did she see me with Stewart?!

“This snow. We can’t get a game in.”

Relief washes over me. I nod happily. “Oh. Right. Yeah.”

She gives me a look, like, why are snowed-out games making you so happy?

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.