Read Online Friends till the End by Laura Dower - Free Book Online Page A

nearly forgot. It’s Aimee. It’s time for school.”
    Madison scrambled to toss her laptop, notebook, and the other things she needed for school into her orange bag. Then she slung the bag over her shoulder and headed for the kitchen door.
    “One second. About that Will boy…” Mom said. “Did you answer his e-mail yet?”
    Madison shook her head. “Not yet. But I want to.”
    “Before you do…let’s discuss it… seriously,” Mom said. “You know how I feel about online safety. And boy safety…”
    “Okay, I know,” Madison said as she kissed Mom on the cheek.
    Madison turned and raced to the front door. Phin raced, too, panting as he went.
    When she opened the door, Aimee and Fiona were standing on the porch.
    “Good morning!” Aimee chirped. She sounded way more cheery than she usually did. Madison guessed that she’d had one of Mrs. Gillespie’s veggie-protein shakes for breakfast.
    “Hey, Aim, hey, Fiona,” Madison said. She motioned them both to come inside for a moment while she kissed the dog good-bye. Then she yelled to her mom again.
    “See you later, Mom!” Madison cried.
    “Later!” Mom called.
    The girls had taken only a few steps outside when Madison found herself unable to hold in her big, big news any longer.
    “I have a secret!” Madison gushed.
    “I already told Fiona about the Japan trip,” Aimee said.
    “You did?” Madison said, a little disappointed.
    “I am wicked jealous. A trip to Asia sounds excellent,” Fiona said. “Now you’ll be a globe-trekker, just like Lindsay and Madhur.”
    “Can you believe it?” Madison cried. “But that’s not the biggest secret.”
    “It’s not?” Aimee asked.
    Madison paused dramatically. “I got a mysterious e-mail from a boy,” she admitted.
    “What boy?” Fiona asked.
    “It’s not Hart?” Aimee asked.
    Madison shook her head. “Nope.”
    “Is it from that guy you met out at your grandmother’s house?” Fiona asked.
    “No way! You haven’t talked about him in forever. What was his name again?” Aimee asked.
    Madison could hardly get a word in edgewise. “No, it wasn’t Mark. It was another boy I met, at Camp Sunshine in Florida.”
    “Turtle boy!” Aimee teased.
    “His name was Will, right?” Fiona asked.
    “Hold on. Didn’t you fix him up with another girl when you were at camp?” Aimee said.
    “Yeah! And didn’t they hit it off?” Fiona added.
    “I thought they liked each other,” Madison said, “but now…”
    “He likes you!” Fiona said. “Whoa. Complications!”
    “He doesn’t like you…he lo-o-o-o-oves you!” Aimee teased, gently slapping Madison on the back. The three friends tripped down the sidewalk laughing.
    “So where does this leave Hart?” Fiona asked.
    “What do you mean?” Madison asked in turn.
    “Well, do you like Hart or this other guy Will more?” Fiona asked. “You have to decide.”
    “I like Hart. Totally,” Madison said. “Duh, you know the answer to that.”
    “Of course that’s what you’d say to us,” Aimee quipped, “but you like this other guy, too, don’t you? I can tell. Even if it is just a little. Your cheeks got all pink when you said his name.”
    “My cheeks are not pink! And I do not like Will more,” Madison said.
    “Maddie, it’s nice that some guy likes you,” Aimee said. “But…”
    “But you can’t ditch Hart for some turtle camp dude!” Fiona declared.
    “You can’t ditch the one guy who was so cool to you all throughout seventh grade…” Aimee added.
    “Ditch Hart?” Madison cried. “You guys are kidding, right? I’m not ditching anyone, especially not him”
    “I think Hart is the nicest boy in our class,” Fiona raved. “He’d be crushed if you blew him off…”
    “Fiona, stop saying that stuff!” Madison wailed. “I am not blowing him off.”
    Aimee rolled her eyes. “Yet,” she said bluntly. “You’re not blowing him off yet .”
    There was silence on the sidewalk. Madison didn’t know what to make