Hockey Is My Boyfriend: Part One by Melanie Ting Read Free Book Online

cute with light brown hair, greenish-grey eyes, and perfect skin. April had been dating since grade eight, so she was the one to ask about this crazy electricity thing.
    I went over to April’s the next day to talk and to get some fashion advice for the movie date.
    “Do you think that a kiss can change your life?” I asked, diving right in.
    April nodded. “Definitely. But I think you may have a reason for asking this, so spill.”
    “I kissed a guy, and it kind of rocked my world.”
    “You kissed someone?” April was stunned.
    “Why is that so shocking?”
    “Um, because you’re seventeen and as far as I know, you’ve never even been interested in guys. You’ve been a total freak until now.”
    “I like guys.”
    “Yes, to hang out with, to play hockey with, to go running with. Not to make out with. Was it Phil?”
    “No. Why would it be Phil?”
    “Because he likes you, and you guys are always hanging out.”
    “Phil is at a swim meet this weekend, and besides, he has a girlfriend.”
    “Phil always has a girlfriend. Who is it this week?”
    “I don’t remember, someone from Handsworth, starts with ‘A.’ Anita? Anaconda? Antarctica?”
    April wrapped her arms around her knees and leaned in for the interrogation. “If not Phil, who did you kiss?”
    “Nicklas Ericcson.”
    “More info, please.”
    “He’s blond, I think he goes to private school in West Van. He plays right wing for the North Van Triple A Midget team.”
    “A hockey player. I should have guessed. So, how did this happen?”
    “An initiation prank. I had to get a kiss and a date.” I explained the whole thing to April. “But the thing was, when I kissed him—wow, it was amazing. And I started liking him, which I never did before. I wanted to, you know, kiss him some more and stuff.”
    “Stuff?”
    “Yeah, like my whole body wanted to get in on the action. I think he must be an extra good kisser.”
    “Not a total shock. You’re a very physical person, Kelly. I’m surprised that something like this didn’t happen before. You’re finally becoming normal.”
    “I’m normal!”
    “Really? Have you not noticed everyone around you dating and hooking up while you lead a nun’s life?”
    I made a face. “Charmaine doesn’t date.”
    “Charmaine has the world’s strictest parents. They’d like to arrange her marriage if they could. What’s your excuse?”
    I didn’t say a word. My mom would like nothing better than to see me go on a date.
    “So, is he cute?”
    “I guess. Laura thought he was. But he doesn’t like me or anything; he’s only helping me out here. Oh yeah, he told me I need to dress up for our date so I don’t wreck his rep.”
    “Charming, yet true. Oh boy, this is my big chance. If you’re getting interested in guys, you can start dressing better.”
    “What’s wrong with what I wear?” I looked down at my body: Cons, jeans, a green t-shirt with the faded logo of a Squamish Peewee hockey tourney. Okay, maybe I could look better.
    April was scornful. “Nothing if you’re ten—no actually, if you’re a ten-year-old boy. You need to maximize your assets.”
    “My assets?”
    “You need tighter jeans and tops that fit properly in nice colours. If you want to get laid, you’ll need to fix things up a bit.”
    Did I want to get laid? That sounded like ten steps beyond where I was. All I wanted was to go out on my fake date and maybe get another of those electrical kisses, even if Nicklas was only doing it out of charity.
    Off we went to the mall. Shopping was April’s very favourite pastime. In the first store, April stuck me in the fitting room and kept bringing me clothes.
    “Come out here,” she commanded, after a few minutes.
    I stuck my head out from behind the curtain. “April, I can’t. The jeans you brought me are waaaaay too tight.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “Let’s see.”
    I crept out. She eyed me up and down. “They fit you. God, Kelly, you’ve been wearing guy’s