Read Online Sidekick Returns by Auralee Wallace - Free Book Online Page B

What could all that be? I tapped lightly on its little glass window, but it wasn’t revealing any of its secrets.
    Now, how to open it?
    Suddenly the building’s front door opened, startling me. In walked a petite young woman, dressed like an adorable nerdy bookworm with a pleated shirt and knee socks. Her gaze popped up to mine. ‘Oh, hello.’
    â€˜Um, hi.’
    â€˜I’m new in the building. Just moved in,’ she said brightly. ‘I work at the library down the street.’
    I narrowed my eyes at her. She was awfully friendly. ‘Not the best building,’ she continued, eyes darting up to the flickering fluorescent lights. ‘But the price is right.’
    â€˜Uh-huh,’ I said, thinking, Sure, the price is just great … if you’re making library money . Some people.
    A moment of awkward silence passed. ‘Well, have a good night,’ she said, putting a hand on the metal stair banister. I turned back to my mailbox. Perhaps I should have asked her how to open it. She did seem kind of nice and cute, but I had already hit my limit of how stupid I could look in one day.
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ the girl’s voice called out again. ‘But you look really familiar.’
    Uh-oh.
    I watched her penny loafers come back down the stairs.
    This was not good.
    â€˜You must be mistaken,’ I said, turning my face into the corner.
    â€˜No. No way! You’re Bremy St. James!’

Chapter 8
    â€˜What!’ I stepped back, bumping into the opposite wall. ‘No, I’m not.’
    â€˜Yes, you are! I’m a huge fan.’ Then I heard the computerised click. The click of a phone taking a picture.
    I rubbed both hands over my face.
    Now what was I going to do? I needed to get that picture. Aside from my father issues, I just couldn’t give the tabloids the satisfaction of seeing how I was living. I just couldn’t. I needed to make something of myself first … something respectable. I spun to face her. At least she was little. I sighed and started to push the sleeves of my windbreaker up my arms. A girl had to do what a girl had to do. ‘What are you doing?’ she asked, looking at me quizzically, while still beaming.
    â€˜I’m going to have to take that picture from you.’
    â€˜What?’ she asked, moving her hands to her chest. ‘By like force?’
    â€˜I guess.’
    â€˜That’s so cool!’ she shouted with a little hop. ‘But you don’t have to do that. I can delete it.’ She looked down at her phone, made a few swipes, and poked the screen before flipping it around to show me. ‘It was rude of me anyway.’
    â€˜I don’t? You can?’ I slumped back against the boxes. ‘Oh, thank God. But wait, why are you being so nice?’
    She slow blinked a few times. ‘Do you want me to be mean?’
    â€˜Are you new to this city?’ I asked, cocking my head. ‘You could’ve probably sold that photo for thous—I mean, never mind.’
    â€˜There are all sorts of ways to make money,’ she said, waving a hand. ‘Besides, I told you. I’m a big fan. What have you been doing lately? Your sister is all over the news, but you’ve just disappeared. And you’re here?’
    â€˜I, uh, just wanted to try living in the real world,’ I said, scratching the side of my head, ‘before I, uh, commit to my life of being rich and famous.’
    She nodded. ‘You mean like the Amish with their Rumspringa?’
    â€˜Right,’ I said with a point. ‘And a ring a ding, dinga, back at you.’ Who was this girl?
    â€˜Okay.’ She cocked her head again. ‘Anyway, I’ll let you be. I don’t want to go all fan girl on you.’ She waved her hands in the air. ‘But I just have to say, that Spring Break Special? With the beer pong polo? I wish I had as much fun as you.’
    â€˜Thank you.’ I smiled at