Read Online Small Steps by Louis Sachar - Free Book Online Page B

Coo.” He smiled. “Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Coach Simmons thinks I’ll be going out for football.”
    “Like how Mrs. R-Randsinkle g-gave m-me an A in art,” said Ginny.
    Mrs. Randsinkle had been her teacher last year.
    “And I c-c-couldn’t even c-c-color inside the l-lines.”
    Armpit noticed that Ginny stuttered more when she talked about school.
    “Well, you know, art’s not just about coloring in the lines,” said Armpit. “It’s about creativity. Putting your soul on the paper. You’re good at that.”
    “No, she just felt sorry for me. She w-w-wished I w-wasn’t in her class. She’s afraid of my s-seizures.”
    Armpit would have liked to tell her that wasn’t true, but he knew it probably was. Ginny had enough problems without him telling her she was wrong. “Well, they are kind of scary,” he said. “But I bet there’s a lot she liked about you too. You’re a very thoughtful and caring person.”
    Ginny’s arm was raised, but this time she noticed it herself and lowered it.
    “Oh, I didn’t tell you! I asked a girl to go to the Kaira DeLeon concert with me.”
    Ginny covered her gaping mouth with her hand. From behind it, she asked, “What’d she say?”
    “She said yeah.”
    Ginny giggled.
    “What’s so funny?”
    “The w-way y-you l-look.”
    “How do I look?”
    “All dreamy-eyed.” She giggled some more. “What’s her name?” she asked in a teasing kind of voice.
    “Tatiana.”
    Ginny giggled.
    “What?”
    “The way you said it.”
    “How did I say it?”
    “Tati-
ahna.
”
    “Tatiana,” said Armpit, trying to sound normal.
    “Tati-
ahna,
” said Ginny. “Is she pretty?”
    “Yeah, but in a different kind of way. It’s like that Kaira DeLeon song ‘Imperfection’? You know?” He sang:
“You reflect on your reflection. But you will never see. Your imperfection is your finest quality.”
    Ginny laughed. He wasn’t a very good singer.
    “She’s cute because of all her imperfections,” Armpit explained.
    “I knew it!” said Ginny. “I smelled her p-perfume on Coo.”
    Armpit remembered Tatiana had hugged Coo.
    “Tati-
ahna,
” teased Ginny.
    “I don’t even know if she really likes me,” Armpit said. “I think she’s just a big Kaira DeLeon fan.”
    “She likes you,” said Ginny.
    “Oh, yeah? How do you know?”
    “Because. You’re a v-very thoughtful and caring p-person.”
             
    While Ginny and Armpit were walking around the block, Tatiana was sitting on the floor of Claire’s bedroom, along with their friend Roxanne. They were sharing a bowl of popcorn and drinking diet sodas.
    “Aren’t you just a little bit scared?” Roxanne asked.
    “No, why should I be?”
    Claire and Roxanne looked at each other knowingly.
    “He is kind of dangerous,” said Claire.
    “Maybe that’s what she likes about him,” said Roxanne. “The
danger
!”
    “He’s a nice guy,” said Tatiana. “He’s sweet.”
    “Sweet? He almost
killed
two people, girl!” Roxanne reminded her.
    “Do you know what they called him at Camp Green Lake?” asked Claire.
    “Yes, I know,” said Tatiana.
    “Armpit!” Claire said. “Out of all those nasty, sweaty guys, he smelled the worst!”
    “It was so bad, even the other sweaty guys noticed,” said Roxanne. “And you know
guys
! It’s gotta stink really bad before they notice.”
    “And you really want to sit next to him, in that hot arena, with everyone all jammed close together?” asked Claire.
    “He’ll probably put his big, fat, sweaty arm around you,” said Roxanne.
    “I like ‘Red Alert!’ ” said Tatiana. “I think it’ll be cool to see Kaira DeLeon sing it in person.”
             
    Armpit stopped in the restroom before school on Friday and splashed his face with cold water. Then he caught up with Tatiana just before she got to class.
    “My friend said I could use his car. One of the doors doesn’t open, but at least I got wheels.”
    “That’s great,”