Read Online Not Quite Perfect Boyfriend by Lili Wilkinson - Free Book Online Page A

like lily-of-the-valley and has perfectly straight white teeth.
    â€˜Midge,’ she says, and I’m surprised that her words aren’t echoed by a chorus of nightingales.
    How does she even know my name?
    â€˜Hi, Nina,’ I say.
    â€˜My parents are going away this weekend,’ she says, flicking back her shampoo-commercial hair with a pale and perfect finger. ‘I’m having a party. You should come.’
    I nearly fall over. She’s inviting me to a party?
    â€˜Really?’ I say. I think of all the times Tahni and I had laughed and giggled and gossiped about Miss Nina Perfect Kennan. I think of how we swore we would never ever be her friend, just because she was so irritatingly perfect. But I don’t think either of us imagined it would actually happen.
    â€˜Bring whoever you like,’ she says, as she turns to go. ‘Bring that new boy.’
    â€˜So,’ says Ben, running his thumb over my wrist as we sit behind the basketball court. ‘What’s new?’
    â€˜Not much,’ I say. I think about telling him how weird Tahni’s been today, but decide not to. It’s sort of because of Ben, and I don’t want him to feel bad.
    â€˜Who are you doing your English project with?’ I ask instead.
    â€˜No one,’ Ben replies. ‘Everyone in my class already has a partner, so I have to do it on my own.’
    I ponder the unjust cruelty of the world for a moment. If I were in Ben’s class, and he had come to school a day earlier, we could be doing our project together! Instead he has to do it all by himself, and I’m stuck with stupid socks-pulled-up George. I mean sure, George has had some good ideas, and that story about the Care Bear was pretty funny, but he’s still a weirdo.
    â€˜Have you thought about what you’ll do it on?’ I ask.
    â€˜Do what on?’
    â€˜Your project. Do you have any ideas?’
    Ben smiles at me, this beautiful, radiant, warm smile. His eyes make me go all gooey inside. Those eyes are just for me.
    â€˜I thought I’d get you to do it.’
    I’m still drowning in the eyes. ‘Hmm?’
    â€˜My project. You know how I said I’d think of a way for you to make it up to me? For not telling everyone your secret? I figured you could do my Communication Project and then we’d be square.’
    â€˜Oh,’ I say. This feels wrong. This isn’t the kind of thing that a boyfriend asks his girlfriend to do. Not that I necessarily am his girlfriend. We haven’t really discussed it yet. How do you tell? Is it something you have a conversation about?
    â€˜I was thinking something to do with the media,’ he says. ‘Photography maybe. Something cutting-edge.’
    I think about that moment in the hallway, when I wanted to die. I wonder what would have happened if Ben hadn’t rescued me. He could have laughed, or said he’d never seen me before, and then everyone would know what a sad loser I am.
    Except I’m not a sad loser anymore. Overnight, I went from being pathetic Midge Arkles, who’s never had a boyfriend and is so desperate she MADE ONE UP , to Fabulous Midge Arkles. A Midge Arkles with a hot boy kissing her in the corridors. A Midge Arkles who wags school to go to a cafe with aforementioned hot boy. A Midge Arkles who people are jealous of. A Midge Arkles who gets invited to Nina Kennan’s party. A Midge Arkles who just might be . . . popular.
    And it’s thanks to Ben. This change is because of him. And it’s not just because he didn’t tell everyone I made up an imaginary boyfriend. I feel different. The way he looks at me, and talks to me, and nuzzles my neck. It makes me feel like a real girl. It makes me proud to be me. It makes me feel beautiful and special and unique. Because he wants me .
    So I tell him yes. I’ll do his project for him.
    We spend the rest of lunchtime kissing. I’m in such a good mood, that, when