In Your Arms by Becky Andrews Read Free Book Online Page A

place.
    SamIam: You became popular. You began dating Tracy. I wasn’t socially acceptable, I suppose.
    PhilyCheeseSteak: Let me make it up to you now. Let’s put the past behind us. Can we be friends again?
    SamIam: If you’re sure this isn’t some evil plot to humiliate me.
    PhilyCheeseSteak: Hahaha. I’m sure.
    SamIam: So what’s up?
    PhilyCheeseSteak: I believe you asked me this already.
    SamIam: So I did. But now I’m asking as a friend and I expect an honest answer, no BS about Bio.
    PhilyCheeseSteak: I just got home from practice, nothing else after that. I’m eating a PB & J. Is that friend material enough for you?
    SamIam: Yes. Don’t you have a game coming up?
    PhilyCheeseSteak: Yeah, against South Christian High. If we win, we’re in the finals.
    SamIam: That sounds cool. I never was one to appreciate football. I just never understood the premise of the game. It’s just throwing a ball and tackling other players, all to try and score points. Just like hockey.
    PhilyCheeseSteak: I’ll just have to explain it to you the next time we get stuck in detention, that way maybe I’ll see you at the game.
    Talking online with Phillip was much easier than talking with him in person.
    SamIam: I’d better go. I still have work to do. I spent the afternoon talking with Alex about her date, so I didn’t really have time to finish my work. You probably have homework too, especially if you just got out of practice.
    PhilyCheeseSteak: Yeah, tons. So I’ll see you tomorrow?
    SamIam: Yeah. See ya, Phillip. Nice talking with you.
    Sam sat back in her chair, completely flummoxed. He actually seemed sincere about wanting to be friends again, and she didn’t know what to think about it. Something still seemed off here. As much as she wanted it to be true, she’d seen too many teen movies where the popular boy paid attention to the uncool girl as a joke to believe in it now that it was happening to her. Maybe if he broke up with Tracy…
     
    * * *
     
    The next morning, Sam noticed that Alex’s motorcycle was already in the parking lot when she arrive. For once, she wasn’t incredibly late, so she walked inside toward her locker, but Alex was nowhere in sight.
    “Hey,” Alex said from behind her. Just as Sam turned to face her, hands covered her eyes.
    Sam smiled. “Hey, handsome.” It was an old joke between them. Ever since they were in ninth grade, after they had seen a movie on a late night cable channel, whenever Sam or Alex snuck up on one another and covered their eyes, they would greet each other with the silly phrase. She laughed as the hands were quickly removed from her eyes.
    Alex stood in front of Sam, giving her a This-Is-So-Hilarious-You-Should-See-Your-Face grin as Sam began to realize it wasn’t Alex who had placed her fingers over her eyes but….Phillip.
    “Well, it was kind of sudden, but I’m starting to like it,” he said, referring to the nickname.
    “Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t—I mean, I thought you were Alex—I didn’t mean it,” Sam stammered.
    “So, you don’t think I’m handsome?” He gave her a hurt look.
    “No—I mean, yes—I mean, no, you are—um—”
    “It’s okay, Sam. I kind of like the nickname. Fits, don’t you think?” He winked. God, he was so hot when he winked at her like that.
    “Lacking some humility?” she said, refusing to be taken in.
    “Only when you’re around,” he said.
    Sam blushed just as the bell rang.
    “See ya around, Sam,” Phillip said. “Bye, Alex.”
    “Bye, Phillip,” Sam said.
    “Wait a minute. I’m not leaving until I hear you call me by my nickname.”
    “That’s not your nickname,” Sam insisted.
    “Yes, it is. You gave it to me. Alex was there, she witnessed.”
    “I didn’t think it was you.”
    “It still counts. Now let me hear you say it,” he urged.
    “We’re going to be late,” Sam stated.
    “I only need to hear you say it, and then you can go. Besides, we’re friends and that’s what friends