Read Online Elodie and Heloise by Cecilee Linke - Free Book Online Page B

the front doors of the school and holding it open for Heloise to pass through.
    Heloise nodded as her face flushed. “Yeah, he’s uh..... really nice. I really liked talking with him and.... well, you were there. You saw us. Sorry for stammering like this, it’s just.... I’m not sure because I only met him the other night but.... I think I like him and....” She couldn’t even look at anything except the sidewalk in front of her. 
    “Heloise, don’t worry. He likes you.” Noah stopped short and put his hands on Heloise’s shoulders. “It was all over his face. I don’t think he’s asking you for help in French because he only needs help in French. But that’s just me,” Noah observed in his usual matter-of-fact way. He then continued walking and Heloise followed by his side. “I don’t blame him, quite frankly. You’re really smart and pretty, so why wouldn’t he like you?”
    Her face got even hotter that time. This time it was her turn to stop short. “But Noah, I’m not like this. And you know that. I mean, there was that stupid crush in seventh grade, I can’t even remember his name now because it was so silly and he didn’t even like me.... It’s never been like this. I’ve been thinking about him ever since this weekend and I’m quite frankly surprised he would even want to spend time with me. Why wouldn’t he want to be with Elodie? She’s prettier and more outgoing than I’ll ever be. I’m not the girl that the guys like. She is.”
    “Now you know that’s not true. For as long as I can remember, I have had to talk you down about comparing yourself with Elodie. I know you’re intimidated by her. You’ve told me that many times.” 
    He put his hands on her shoulders again, looking straight into Heloise’s face. “You’re too pretty and smart to say that about yourself. And about Kyle, just see how it goes,” Noah shrugged. “Like I said, he likes you. You worry too much.”
    “I guess,” Heloise’s voice trailed off. The two of them continued on their journey home, Heloise’s head full of thoughts as Noah recounted stories of his fellow classmates from the school day.

    Heloise scanned the library for the fifth time in just the last three minutes, waiting to see Kyle’s familiar face coming through the double doors. She made sure to get a seat as close to the door as possible so that he wouldn’t miss her. In the meantime, she’d already made herself at home at the table. Her backpack sat on the chair to her right, while her history notebook sat open in front of her, notes scribbled in her usual loopy handwriting across the pages that now stared up at her. However, she kept reading the same sentences over and over again and found it impossible to concentrate. Not when Kyle was going to arrive very soon.
    2:20. She’d already been waiting for five minutes but it felt like forever. She had walked across the school as fast as her legs could carry her, only to arrive too early for his arrival. She sighed and shut her notebook. She really wasn’t into history at the moment. Instead, she opened her backpack and picked up her copy of Emma that she’d brought from home. 
    At least I have my book to keep me company until he comes. It’s not like I’m the one that asked for tutoring anyway.
    She sat back in her chair and opened her book to the last page she’d bookmarked. Heloise was only seventy pages into the story with a long way to go. No matter, there was plenty of time to kill. She immediately embroiled herself in the story in her usual way. Heloise had a tendency to begin reading and then lose track of time, instead choosing to immerse herself in the characters. She almost didn’t even hear a familiar voice coming up on her from her right side.
    “Jane Austen then. I’m more of a Hemingway fan myself.”
    Heloise heard that familiar voice and it jerked her out of the world of the book. She glanced up and saw Kyle standing at her table about two feet away from her,