Love-shy Read Online Free Page B

stories not worthy of study? Are the works of women writers not interesting or brave or strong?’
    Hugh’s eyes began to water at the word strong . ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Fascinating. Er, I’d better go.’
    He scuttled away as I rolled my eyes. Boys. So predictable.
    Nobody came to use the computer I was watching.

    We were paired up in Chemistry to make formic acid out of oxalic acid and glycerol. I made sure I was paired with a boy.
    JESSE KING
    Eye contact: Sporadic.
Overt signs of shyness: No.
    ME: Have you ever had a girlfriend?
    JESSE: Yes. Pass me the filtration flask.
    ME: You’re doing it wrong. The condenser goes in like this . Do you ever experience feelings of anxiety or depression? Do you have any allergies or sensitivities?
    JESSE: I’m allergic to onion. It gives me a rash.
    ME: How many hours a day do you spend daydreaming about girls?
    JESSE: Um. I thought this was Chemistry, not Psychology. Where’s the distillation flask?
    ME: You’re putting in too much oxalic acid! It’s only supposed to be 10 mg. Let me do it.
    JESSE: Give it back ! Are you seriously going to do this entire experiment on your own?
    ME: I think that would be best, don’t you? I mean, if I do it, it’ll be right . Everybody wins.
    JESSE: I think the point of this experiment is to learn , not to win .
    ME: And that is exactly why I am going to go on to have a fabulous career, and you will probably end up underpaid in a dead-end job, too overwhelmed by the bitter reality of your existence to even work up the energy for a mid-life crisis.
    JESSE: Hang on. Is that a Dictaphone app? Is it recording? What’s going on?
    (INTERVIEW TERMINATED BY SUBJECT)
    Verdict: Not love-shy.

    When I got home, I checked PEZZimist.blogspot.com for new posts. Nothing.
    I sat at my desk and transcribed today’s interviews. Then I pulled out my diary and recorded today’s summary:
    Interviews: 5
Possible love-shys: 0
    I considered adding a third column entitled Brain-addled Morons , because clearly I would be meeting plenty of them. But it was a journalist’s job to remain objective, so I would just have to rise above the idiocy of my male classmates and continue my search. I felt sure I knew PEZZ imist now, from his blog posts. I knew he was different. He wasn’t like the rest of the monkeys at our school. He lived on a higher plane as well. If only I could find him, then I could rescue him from his loneliness. I’d bring his condition to the attention of the world, and when I became rich, maybe I could start some kind of charity or foundation for helping other love-shy boys.
    I pulled out my Maths textbook, but I couldn’t concentrate on integers and tangents. I kept refreshing PEZZ imist’s blog and the love-shy forum for new posts. I needed a clue.
    The sound of the front door opening, combined with the aroma of a Malaysian banquet, lured me out of my room and into the kitchen. Dad was opening plastic containers and getting plates and chopsticks, while Josh poured two glasses of wine, and a mineral water for me.
    Josh looked up as I came in. ‘Hey, Penny.’
    I waved at him and grabbed a spring roll to chew on while he and Dad finished unpacking dinner.
    â€˜How’s life?’
    â€˜Interesting,’ I told him. ‘I’m doing a story for the Gazette that involves interviewing every boy in Year Ten.’
    Dad and Josh exchanged a Look. ‘Are you hoping to find something in particular?’ Dad asked.
    I didn’t really want to tell them about the whole love-shy thing. Not until I had a better handle on it. ‘It’s a sort of anthropological study,’ I said, spooning kung pow chicken over my combination fried rice. ‘Just trying to get a breakdown of what makes the Teenage-Boy mind tick.’
    â€˜And it’s just boys?’
    I nodded.
    Dad narrowed his eyes at me. ‘Penny?’
    â€˜Yes?’ I snagged a couple of