The Forever Crush by Debra Moffitt Read Free Book Online Page A

she said. “You need to spill it.”
    â€œUm, no I don’t,” I said.
    â€œYou’re no fun.”
    â€œWhat did you think about the library club? It could be someone who’s in it.”
    â€œSure,” Piper said sarcastically. “Let’s bring them all in for a lineup.”
    â€œYou’re not taking this seriously.”
    â€œYou’re taking this too seriously, Jem.”
    â€œWell, it is serious. Someone’s threatening us. Saying we’re, you know, bad influences or something.”
    â€œI always try to let that stuff roll off my back. Hey, I called because I heard something and just wanted you to know.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œSome girls were talking at cheerleading and they were being mean about you and Forrest. It was Taylor, Clem, and that group.”
    â€œWhat did they say?”
    â€œThey were just like, ‘I don’t know why he’s with her and blah blah blah,’” Piper said.
    Yeah, me either. Oh, wait, he’s actually NOT.
    â€œI don’t want to upset you, Jem. I just wanted to let you know. I was like, ‘Duh, Clem, they were just both at your house for dinner and a movie.’ He obviously likes you, Jem,” Piper said in a happy voice.
    â€œObviously. Right,” I said.
    I ended the call and the whole thing hit me in waves.
    First wave: I thought Clem might have actually been my friend now, so it hurt to have her talking behind my back. True, she paid me no attention before the other night. But I thought it might be different since then.
    Second wave: I was horrified that people were picking me apart—and more importantly, picking apart my “relationship.” It was like I was a criminal and they were sniffing me out, saying to themselves: This just doesn’t quite add up. Forrest and Jemma do not make sense. He is too good for her.
    Third wave: If these girls are saying mean stuff about me, they are probably saying it right to Forrest’s face—after all, they barely talked to me until I started going out with Forrest. I worried he’d break up with me. Why? Because he wouldn’t want to be seen going out with someone who was, let’s face it, not nearly as beautiful and popular as his recent girlfriends.
    I wished I could take some kind of medicine or potion that would make me grow up faster right away . I was still shorter and less grown-up-looking than all of my friends. Was there a magic product like, say, Boobtastic, that could make my molehills grow into mountains? I could see the infomercial for that. Anytime I complained about this to Kate or Piper, they’d say I was “cute.” Why did that always sound like second prize?
    Personal progress was happening, but it was achingly slow. I had gone up a bra size or two. And I had some signs, if you know what I mean, that my period would arrive sooner rather than later. These were good signs that I was, indeed, growing into an actual woman. But I wished it would all happen overnight and I would wake up looking like the grown-up, ready-to-conquer-the-world me. Then maybe Forrest would keep me as his pretend girlfriend and, eventually, want me as his real one.

Seventeen
    Welcome to my bewildering, pink world. Here are the first three PLS messages Kate, Piper, and I opened today in our dark, dusty school basement headquarters.
    Message 1:
    Dear PLS, I heard that if you whisper the Pledge of Allegiance every night before bed for 28 days, then on the 29 th day, you’ll get your period. Is that true?
    Signed, A Late Bloomer Who Loves Her Country
    Message 2:
    You are a link in the pink chain. Have you ever run for class president? If so, then you might want to thank Jeanette Rankin. In 1916, she was the first woman EVER to win a seat in the U.S. Congress. After serving, she dedicated her life to promoting peace all over the world. Remember, you are a link in the pink chain!
    Message 3:
    I’ve asked nicely but time is