Read All About It! by Rachel Wise Read Free Book Online

to say! Couldn’t you
     tell how embarrassed he was? I was trying to make him feel better. It is a great photo of him. Just acknowledging that doesn’t declare your
     love for him!”
    â€œYes it does!”
    â€œOh, please. He’s just a person too, you know. It
     wouldn’t kill you to be nice to him.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about? I’m always nice to
     him!”
    Hailey shrugged and rolled her eyes. “Not really.”
    â€œWhat?! Yes I am!”
    â€œSam, you hardly even talk to him unless it’s necessary. I
     bet you don’t know anything about him.”
    â€œWhy, do you?”
    Hailey shrugged again. “Yeah.” She
     looked down at her fingernails.
    â€œLike what?” I asked.
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œOkay, so, then . . .”
    She counted things off on her fingers. “Well, I know that his
     favorite lunch is cheeseburgers and his favorite class is language farts, and I know
     that he throws lefty and he has had two concussions and if he gets another he
     can’t play football anymore. And I know that—”
    â€œWait. Stop. Hold it!” I said, putting my palm flat out like
     a traffic cop. “How do you know all this?”
    Hailey shrugged again. “I don’t know. I just talk to him,
     like a normal person. I ask him questions and then I listen to the answers. It’s
     not so hard. It’s called being a friend.”
    I tossed my head. “Well, I’m not his friend .”
    â€œOkay. Whatever then,” said Hailey.
    â€œIt’s a little annoying that you’re suddenly the
     expert on Michael Lawrence,” I said quietly.
    Hailey was looking off at the other side of thecafeteria. I followed her gaze and saw Walter and Michael. They were laughing and
     joking around like they didn’t have a care in the world.
    â€œAt least I didn’t hurt his feelings,” Hailey said
     back, without looking at me.
    â€œOh come on, boys don’t have feelings!” I said.
    Hailey looked at me like she was shocked. Then she rolled her eyes and
     laughed. “You are hopeless,” she said.
    â€œWait, do they?” I asked.
    Hailey laughed harder. “ Really hopeless!” She stood up and collected her stuff and her tray. “Come on.
     Let’s go.”
    Martone Fires “Best Friend.” Becomes
     Hermit, I thought.

Chapter 7
    MARTONE BACK FROM
     BRINK OF DISASTER
    Seventh period came too soon. I was so nervous about our meeting that
     for the first time in years I was actually dreading seeing Michael Lawrence. I dragged
     my feet all the way down to Mr. Pfeiffer’s office for our interview, nearly making
     myself late.
    Michael was standing in the hall outside, tapping his foot
     impatiently.
    â€œCome on!” he hissed. “We can’t be
     late!”
    â€œSorry,” I whispered. “We’re not,
     anyway.”
    We checked in with Mr. Pfeiffer’s secretary and she told us to
     have a seat in the waiting area. I busied myself getting my pen and notebook out, and
     when Michael saw what I was doing he rolled his eyes and looked away.
    â€œWhat?” I asked in a quiet voice.
    He shrugged. “I just think it’s more respectful to listen
     carefully,” he said.
    â€œWell that may be, but how are we going to be sure we get the
     quotes right?” I asked.
    He tapped the side of his head again.
    I wasn’t buying it. “But your fancy memory isn’t
     written out as proof, in case for some unbelievable and rare reason, you get a word
     wrong. We can’t misquote the principal!” Michael had a lot of nerve.
    â€œWe won’t,” he said definitively.
    â€œYou know what? Fine. Have it your way.” I snapped my
     notebook shut and stowed it and my pen back in my bag. I wished I had a tape recorder,
     but if he wanted to do it this way, then it was his responsibility.
    â€œOkay, kids, he can see