Read Online #5 Not What I Expected by Laurie Friedman - Free Book Online Page A

Facebook page set up, she had some paperwork to do before we left, so I went next door to see if Leo was there. He was busy slicing meat, but he took a break. “I’m glad you came,” he said. “I was going to call you tonight.”
    â€œYou really don’t text, do you?”
    Leo shook his head. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
    I couldn’t help but smile. “So why were you going to call me?” I asked.
    â€œI wondered if you would like to go trick-or-treating with me on Halloween.”
    I sighed. The idea of trick-or-treating with him was appealing, but I’d already made plans. “I can’t,” I said.
    Leo shook his head like not going was a mistake. “Trick-or-treating will be retro and fun. We’ll get to eat loads of candy.”
    â€œIt sounds like fun, but I already told my cousins Harry and Sophie that I’d go with them to a party.” I shrugged. “I mean, I think the party will be fun.”
    â€œApril, high school parties are not fun for 98 percent of the kids who attend them.”
    I laughed. “Is that a fact?”
    Leo shook his head. “Nope. Just a theory.”
    Thursday, October 30, 6:46 p.m.
    Home from dance
    As we were leaving dance, Brynn asked what I’m doing for Halloween, so I told her I’m going to Mark Miller’s party. She wrinkled her nose when I said it. “Who are you going with?”
    Everyone knew about his party and that mostly upperclassmen were invited. I’m sure she was wondering how I got invited. “Harry,” I said. “And Sophie.” I debated telling Brynn that part. There hadn’t been any issues with her and Sophie since I’d talked to Brynn about it, and I’d like to keep it that way. But still, I didn’t want to lie about who I was going with.
    Brynn winced. “Do you think it’ll be fun, you know, since there won’t be many freshmen there?” She shrugged. “I don’t know. If it were me, it seems like it would be weird.”
    I couldn’t tell if she was genuinely concerned, or upset that she wasn’t invited, or jealous I was going to be with Sophie on Halloween. I wanted to change the subject. “What are you doing?” I asked.
    She smiled. “Billy and I are staying in.” She emphasized the words as she said them, then looked at me. “Know what I mean?”
    â€œYeah,” I said, though I wasn’t completely sure I did. I didn’t like thinking about what it meant that Brynn and Billy were staying in together on Halloween.
    I’m also not sure I liked her response about the party. At first, it didn’t really bother me, but I thought about it all the way home. It feels like, by saying I wouldn’t have fun, she was putting some kind of Halloween hex on me.
    Well, everyone knows there’s no such thing as hexes.
    Are there?

Just when we think we’ve figured things out, the universe throws us a curveball.
    â€”Meredith Grey , Grey’s Anatomy
    Halloween, 6:45 p.m.
    Getting ready
    I can’t decide if I should wear ripped blue jeans with a black top, black jeans with a black top, or black jeans with an orange top. I just asked May (because she happened to come into my room while I was trying to decide), who said I should wear the ripped blue jeans with an orange top, which technically wasn’t one of the choices, but part of me thinks she might be right (even though she’s never right when it comes to clothes). Since Mom is a fashion designer I’m going to the kitchen to ask her what she thinks I should wear.
    7:17 p.m.
    Back from the kitchen
    I’m back from the kitchen, and there was no point in going. When I asked Mom what she thought I should wear to the party, she pursed her lips like she was actually considering my question (which it turns out wasn’t the case). Before she could answer, June put in her two cents. “I think you