Promise Me Something by Kocek Sara

Author:Kocek, Sara [Kocek, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: 2013-09-09T14:00:00+00:00

Valentine’s Day arrived on the eve of Gretchen’s birthday. All week long, cheap carnations and paper hearts rained down like some kind of perfect, pink storm. Valentine’s Day fell on Pajama Day—or rather, Pajama Day fell on the fourteenth of February. Spirit Week was late this year because of basketball playoffs.

When I showed up at my locker on Friday morning, Gretchen was waiting for me in a pair of hot pink boxers that showed off a dark, splotchy birthmark on her inner thigh. She didn’t seem to care that it resembled a wart, or that it was twenty-five degrees outside and she was probably freezing cold. In her hand was an entire ream of glittery pink stickers, and the minute I stepped up to my locker, she reached over and pinned one to my cheek.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!” she said. “Why aren’t you wearing pajamas?”

I was wearing pajamas. They just weren’t cute, like hers. Mine consisted of gray athletic sweatpants and a fleece pullover. Also—in honor of Valentine’s Day—a red hair elastic. But I never got a chance to point it out to Gretchen. Before I could say anything, she stepped a little closer and whispered, “OK, important question. What are you doing tonight?”

“Going to a Ridgeway party,” I answered automatically. “Why?”

“No!” she gasped. “Really?”

Immediately, I wished I hadn’t said anything. All week long I’d been trying to avoid Gretchen without actually telling her outright that I didn’t want to be friends. Mentioning the Valentine’s party was not exactly part of my plan.

“It’s just a little gathering,” I amended. “Probably not very big.”

She looked devastated. “But it’s my birthday!”

I broke eye contact and glanced down the hallway, wishing I’d had the presence of mind to make up a better excuse—a sick relative, maybe, or some kind of family bowling tournament.

Gretchen put on her best puppy dog face. “You don’t have to go, do you?”

“Sorry,” I said, looking down at my shoes. “I promised someone.”

“Who?” She narrowed her eyes.

To my relief, the bell rang just as I opened my mouth. I changed the e sound in Levi to the i sound in “I better go.”

“Well, this royally sucks.” Gretchen slung her purple backpack over one shoulder. “If one more person can’t make it, I’m going to have to push back my party.”

“That’s fine,” I said. “I mean, that sucks. I mean, happy birthday.”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “At least wear a freaking sticker.” Then she tore off another glittery heart and jabbed it at my shoulder.

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.