Read Online Anything but Normal by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online Page A

Sophie continued. “Let me count the ways.”
    “There are guys besides jocks,” Carrie Anne pointed out.
    “Duh.” Sophie made a face. “Do you honestly think I’d go out with a jock anyway? I mean, I’ve turned down at least a dozen invitations—”
    “So I’ll take that as a no?” Carrie Anne said with a sly smile. Sophie nodded. “That is definitely a no.”
    “Good.”
    Sophie frowned. “Thanks a lot. I thought you were my friend.”
    “It’s good because I have something to ask you.”
    “You’re asking me to go to the dance with you?” Sophie shook her head. “Sorry, Carrie Anne. I mean, I like you. But not like that.”
    Jenny and Kelsey laughed, but Carrie Anne did not look amused.
    “Seriously, are you guys going to the dance?” Sophie looked at her friends.
    “If you’d been paying attention, you’d know the answer to that one.” Jenny gave a smug look.
    “Meaning?”
    “Meaning I’m going with John Hendricks,” Jenny said. “And Kelsey is going with Timothy Banks.”
    Sophie frowned. They were a couple of guys from their youth group. Nice guys, but pretty shy. They rarely spoke to girls. “How’d you swing that?”
    “Jenny asked them.” Kelsey started to giggle.
    Sophie stared at Jenny. “ You asked them?”
    “Yeah. And they agreed. It’ll be a double date.”
    Sophie shrugged. “Well, good for you.”
    “Anyway . . .” Carrie Anne still seemed to have something on her mind. “Do you want to go to the dance, Sophie?”
    “Like I said, Carrie Anne, I like you, but—”
    “Not with me, you moron!”
    “Who then?”
    “Wes Andrews.”
    “Wes Andrews?” Sophie was shocked. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean, he wants to ask you, but he’s afraid you’ll turn him down. Or that you won’t want to be friends with him. Or something.”
    Sophie frowned. “So he talked to you?”
    “Yeah, he asked me to sound you out. Of course, he didn’t want me to tell you that he wanted to know.” She laughed. “Like that was going to happen.”
    “For a smart kid, Wes is a little slow on the uptake,” Jenny said.
    “Or maybe he’s just shy,” Sophie said in his defense.
    “So, what do you think?” Carrie Anne looked hopeful.
    “Why do you care so much?” Sophie studied her friend. “I know—you like Wes and you want him to take you to the dance?”
    “You are so lame.”
    Now Sophie felt indignant. “Are you saying you’re too good for Wes?”
    “No. I’m saying he wants to take you. And I want to know if you’ll go or not.”
    “But why do you care?”
    “I know why,” Jenny said.
    “Why?” the others all said at once.
    “Because Carrie Anne likes Drew.” Jenny nodded.
    “Drew, as in Wes’s best friend, Drew?” Sophie asked.
    “Drew Valdez,” Kelsey said. “Of course, it makes perfect sense.”
    “You like Drew?” Sophie asked Carrie Anne.
    She kind of shrugged. “He’s nice. He’s an academic assistant for Mr. Cromwell. He’s been helping me with my math.”
    Sophie chuckled. “And if you don’t pass practical math, you can kiss your diploma bye-bye.”
    “Thanks for reminding me. But I’m doing just fine.” Carrie Anne looked hopefully at Sophie. “So, will you?”
    “Will I what?”
    “Go to the homecoming dance with Wes?”
    “I don’t—”
    “Have a heart, Sophie,” Carrie Anne pleaded.
    “Yeah, don’t be such a wet blanket,” Jenny said.
    “It’s not like we’re asking you to marry the poor guy,” Kelsey chimed in.
    Jenny nodded. “Yeah, just go to the stupid dance.”
    “Come on,” Carrie Anne begged. “You’re my best friend. How often do I ask you to do anything for me?”
    “Seriously?” Sophie was about ready to list all the things. “It’ll be fun,” Kelsey said. “It’s our senior year, and we should do some of these things. Come on, Sophie.”
    “Fine,” Sophie snapped at them. “I’ll go.” She turned to Carrie Anne. “But only if it’s a double date with you and Drew. Otherwise count me