Boyfriends with Girlfriends by Alex Sanchez Read Free Book Online

rad,” Allie whispered about a guy with bright yellow foam rubber hair that stood about two feet off his head, streaming out in all directions.
    They meandered through the live action role-play area, took turns at a Sailor Moon video game, and listened to a panel about boys’ love. All the while, Kimiko giggled along with Allie. It seemed like ever since they’d first met, they were both giggling constantly.
    “Hey, Allie!” a group of girls called as they were leaving the boys’ love session.
    “Hi, guys,” Allie waved and turned to Kimiko. “These are my friends from our manga club.”
    “’Sup?” Kimiko said, feeling suddenly out of place as Allie talked and joked with the group. Even though they seemed nice, they were all WASPy girlie girls.
    “Would you rather hang out with them?” Kimiko whispered to Allie as the group left. “If you do, I understand.”
    “No. I see them all the time. I’d rather hang out with you.”
    “Really?” Kimiko replied with a smile. “Cool.”
    They next watched an anime film, managing to get the last two seats together in the warm, packed room. The minty scent of Allie’s lip gloss wafted across the darkness, and Kimiko breathed it in.
    After the movie, they wandered to the merchandise area and flipped through mangas. Allie picked up copies of Tokyo Mew Mew and Instant Teen: Just Add Nuts. When they got to the girls’ love section, she asked, “Which do you like?”
    “ Revo Girl Utena is good,” Kimiko said, “but wicked surreal. Read or Dream is also good, though my fave is Girl Panic. ” She handed Allie the first installment and watched her expression as she scanned the pages.
    “It looks fun,” Allie said, nodding approval.
    “I’ll get it for you,” Kimiko offered.
    “All right.” Allie giggled. “But then I get to treat for eats.”
    They paid for their mangas, got some frozen yogurt, and sat down on a patch of carpet at the edge of the crowded convention hallway.
    “I’m so happy you came,” Allie said. “This is such a blast. Chip isn’t into manga.”
    Chip? Kimiko wondered. Oh, yeah. The Boyfriend.
    “He’s a wonderful guy,” Allie continued. “I like him a lot, but . . .” She chewed on her lip for a moment, debating if she should confide her recent doubts. “I’m not sure where our relationship is going. I don’t feel the same connection anymore. You know what I mean?”
    “Are you breaking up?” Kimiko asked, a little surprised. She felt flattered that Allie was opening up to her so much, considering they barely knew each other.
    “It’s not to the point of breaking up yet. But I wonder if that’s where it’s headed.” She was glad she’d decided to talk about it to Kimiko—somebody who was impartial and didn’t go to her school.
    “Have you talked with him about it?” Kimiko asked.
    “Not yet. I’m still trying to figure out what to say. I don’t want to hurt him. . . .” She gave Kimiko a questioning glance. “Any ideas?”
    Me? Kimiko thought. “Sorry, dude. I have like zero experience with relationships. I guess just be honest with him.”
    “Yeah, that’s what Lance says.”
    They sat quietly, eating their yogurt, watching the crowd. And a question that Allie had been curious about drifted into her mind.
    “Can I ask you something? How did you realize that you liked girls? I mean—you know—as more than just friends?”
    Kimiko stared at her, caught off guard, and recalled Sergio’s teasing about Allie being “bi-curious.”
    “Well . . .” Kimiko stirred her spoon in her yogurt, deciding where to start. “I always felt different from other girls. At first I thought it was because I’m Asian, but then . . . I remember this party in like sixth grade when we played Eleven in Heaven? You know that game where some random boy and girl go into a closet for eleven seconds, supposedly to kiss, while the people outside count down?”
    Allie nodded, remembering her own experiences with middle school