Read Online Don't Kiss Him Good-Bye by Sandra Byrd - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandra Byrd
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don’t think, in any way, that I am any better than you—or that my family is either. The party my mum was going to bring up is for the day after the May Day Ball. Traditionally, all my friends and their mums go over to one of the gardens—Ashley’s house was last year—and the girls serve tea and cakes to the mums while they look at the newest blooms and plan garden meetings for the year. Members are allowed to nominate new people for membership, and voting happens in May.”
“Oh,” I said, still not getting why my mom couldn’t be invited.
“Everyone wears their May Day Ball gown from the night before,” Penny said. “It’s a way for the mums to ooh and aah over everyone’s dress. If you still want to come, you could wear something nice . . .”
Now I got it. “No, it’d feel kind of awkward,” I said.
“I thought so,” Penny said. She squeezed my arm as we got up. “You’re a fantastic friend, Savvy. I’m so glad you moved here. I’d never leave you out if I thought it would hurt you.”
And with that, we headed back to lunch. Silently, I prayed that whoever had written to the Asking for Trouble column had had as good of an outcome with her friend.
As I was leaving the lunchroom, Rhys was coming in. “Just who I wanted to see,” he said. “Did you have your April Fools thing yet?”
“Next week,” I said. “On the day before April Fools’.”
“Text me when and where.” He took my hand like he owned it and then wrote his name on it in ink. “To remind you.” Right before I pulled my hand away, a crush of new people headed into the lunchroom. I’d recognize Chloe’s laugh anywhere. Tommy’s, too. Tommy and I locked eyes, only for a minute. Rhys looked at him too before making a show of closing his hand around my own.
Chapter 26
Even though I’d spent the last week being a nervous Nellie, on the actual day itself, March 31, I wasn’t as worried as I’d thought I would be. Surprisingly, Mom had let me stay home from school to practice—and to pray—and I felt more at peace than I had for a while. Mom was going to a book club meeting with our next-door neighbor Vivienne, so she was going to have to drop me off at church a little early. I’d called Jenny, and she’d promised it would be okay. I could hang out in the youth room and practice and do homework till everyone else arrived.
Outfit? Skinny jeans; blue tank top with countryish blue, green, and black checked overshirt; new UGGs; silver hoop earrings—not too big an O.
About an hour before we were going to leave, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it with one hand and held my guitar in the other. “Hello,” I said politely.
Vivienne eyed my guitar. From her look, I suspected she’d been listening to me practice all day. She wasn’t a fan, but I couldn’t help it. I’d tried to keep it low. “This is for your mum,” she said, handing over a canvas tote bag with that evening’s books. “Tell her we’ll have to leave promptly.”
With another withering look at the guitar, she waved toodle-loo and headed back toward her house. I have to admit, my confidence wavered, but only for a moment.
“Ready to go, Sav?” Mom asked. “And are you sure Dad can’t come by tonight to listen? I could even skip the book club if you want me to. And Louanne could come.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Only youth group people allowed. Otherwise we wouldn’t be willing to be fools,” I said. And it was true. I really didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of my parents and Louanne. It should have been just the opposite—they loved me the most and would judge me the least if I failed. But their opinion also mattered the most, and I wanted to be just right in their eyes.
The ride there was silent. Maybe I was more nervous than I’d thought.
“Rhys said he might come,” I finally said.
“Oh,” Mom replied.
“Aren’t you excited that he could come and hear the gospel?”
“I’m happy anytime someone
“Oh,” I said, still not getting why my mom couldn’t be invited.
“Everyone wears their May Day Ball gown from the night before,” Penny said. “It’s a way for the mums to ooh and aah over everyone’s dress. If you still want to come, you could wear something nice . . .”
Now I got it. “No, it’d feel kind of awkward,” I said.
“I thought so,” Penny said. She squeezed my arm as we got up. “You’re a fantastic friend, Savvy. I’m so glad you moved here. I’d never leave you out if I thought it would hurt you.”
And with that, we headed back to lunch. Silently, I prayed that whoever had written to the Asking for Trouble column had had as good of an outcome with her friend.
As I was leaving the lunchroom, Rhys was coming in. “Just who I wanted to see,” he said. “Did you have your April Fools thing yet?”
“Next week,” I said. “On the day before April Fools’.”
“Text me when and where.” He took my hand like he owned it and then wrote his name on it in ink. “To remind you.” Right before I pulled my hand away, a crush of new people headed into the lunchroom. I’d recognize Chloe’s laugh anywhere. Tommy’s, too. Tommy and I locked eyes, only for a minute. Rhys looked at him too before making a show of closing his hand around my own.
Chapter 26
Even though I’d spent the last week being a nervous Nellie, on the actual day itself, March 31, I wasn’t as worried as I’d thought I would be. Surprisingly, Mom had let me stay home from school to practice—and to pray—and I felt more at peace than I had for a while. Mom was going to a book club meeting with our next-door neighbor Vivienne, so she was going to have to drop me off at church a little early. I’d called Jenny, and she’d promised it would be okay. I could hang out in the youth room and practice and do homework till everyone else arrived.
Outfit? Skinny jeans; blue tank top with countryish blue, green, and black checked overshirt; new UGGs; silver hoop earrings—not too big an O.
About an hour before we were going to leave, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it with one hand and held my guitar in the other. “Hello,” I said politely.
Vivienne eyed my guitar. From her look, I suspected she’d been listening to me practice all day. She wasn’t a fan, but I couldn’t help it. I’d tried to keep it low. “This is for your mum,” she said, handing over a canvas tote bag with that evening’s books. “Tell her we’ll have to leave promptly.”
With another withering look at the guitar, she waved toodle-loo and headed back toward her house. I have to admit, my confidence wavered, but only for a moment.
“Ready to go, Sav?” Mom asked. “And are you sure Dad can’t come by tonight to listen? I could even skip the book club if you want me to. And Louanne could come.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Only youth group people allowed. Otherwise we wouldn’t be willing to be fools,” I said. And it was true. I really didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of my parents and Louanne. It should have been just the opposite—they loved me the most and would judge me the least if I failed. But their opinion also mattered the most, and I wanted to be just right in their eyes.
The ride there was silent. Maybe I was more nervous than I’d thought.
“Rhys said he might come,” I finally said.
“Oh,” Mom replied.
“Aren’t you excited that he could come and hear the gospel?”
“I’m happy anytime someone
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