Becoming Me Read Online Free Page B

turns)
    So much has happened in one single day! I almost don’t know where to begin. Let’s see, first off, Mom and I went to the mall this afternoon. And she was being totally cool about everything. She really likes my new friends, and she even bought me a new jacket and a pair of shoes that were on sale. (I told her my other favorite pair got ruined when I stepped in a mud puddle; okay, so it was a lie, but what was I supposed to say?) Anyway, we ate some pizza at the food court, and then we discussed at length the whole “to date or not to date” situation.
    Finally she said she felt it should be my decision (and I was old enough to make it) and then she promised totalk to Dad about the whole thing. Thank heavens for cool moms! Anyway, then she even waited for me to go into the restroom and put on my new stuff and then she dropped me off at the basketball game. I told her she should’ve won the coolest mom of the day award, and that seemed to make her happy. Now that I think about it, it doesn’t seem like she’s been real happy lately. But that’s probably just part of being a mom and having to work and stuff like that.
    So, anyway, I got to the ball game (looking pretty good, I might add), and I went to sit down in the place where the cheerleaders and everyone sits (right in front), but then I realized the bleachers were already full right there. Then suddenly it hits me—I’ve never sat with these kids at a game before in my entire life, and just because they’re Jenny’s friends doesn’t guarantee that they’ll welcome me with open arms. I didn’t know what to do, and I started to turn away, thinking I better go find someplace else to sit, and hoping my face wasn’t turning beet red in embarrassment. I even wondered if Beanie might be here somewhere (unlikely as that seemed) and why hadn’t I thought this whole thing out better?
    But just then, Jenny yelled out, “Hey, Caitlin, there’s room for you over here. Scoot over you guys, and let Caitlin squeeze in.” And (big sigh) my troubles were over. Thank goodness too, ’cause I don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise. So I sat with all of them during the game, and it was pretty fun, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off Nathan, and I’m pretty sure he was looking my waytoo (at least the few times he was sitting on the bench, which wasn’t a whole lot). Then, the game was over (which we won by the way), and Jenny asked if I wanted to go with her over to a little celebration party.
    Of course, I agreed, telling myself that if by some chance Jenny should became intoxicated (not that I knew ahead of time that there would be alcohol there), I’d be the designated driver to get us home safely. As we were driving, Jenny confided to me that she’d been missing Josh lately and had devised a plan to get him back.
    “But I’ll need your help, Cate,” she explained (Jenny’s the only friend I allow to call me by anything but Caitlin). “Sure, what do you want me to do?” I asked, eager to please. Then she told me that if she could just make Josh jealous, he’d beg her to come back. “But in order to make him jealous,” she said, “I need an unattached guy to cozy up to—not just any guy. I mean, he’s got to be cute and popular.”
    Suddenly I know exactly who she means. “Are you thinking of Nathan Parker?” I ask, trying to disguise my shock and disgust. She nods and I feel my insides give a strange little twist. “But Nathan and I aren’t even a real couple or anything, Jenny. I mean, I don’t really know how I can be of any help to you…”
    Well, I’m feeling kind of like a deflated balloon about then.
    “That’s okay,” she continues. “Everyone knows that Nathan’s got his eye on you, Cate. But maybe for tonight,you could just step out of the picture for a little, and let me pretend that he and I are getting together.” I’m kind of stunned and don’t really know what to say. But how can I say no? And so I just totally