Page 155 - The Life of A Teenage Girl (Stories About Finding Your Way)

CHAPTER 7

A
fter school, I was walking home alone when I heard

footsteps approaching behind me. I turned, and there he
was—Caleb—catching up quickly. Maybe he wasn’t

coming toward me... or maybe he was. I slowed to a stop.
“Hey,” he said. So yeah, he definitely was.

“Hi,” I replied. Somehow, we ended up walking side by side. “Can

I ask, why exactly are you walking with me?”
“Can’t I?” he shot back, a little too casually.

“Well, yes—I mean, no. Actually, I—”
“Okay, okay, I get it. Relax.” He chuckled.

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to hide the warmth rising in

my cheeks.
Then he said, “So, what’s going on with you, Hoopster?”

I groaned. “Can you stop calling me that?”
“Calling you what?” he asked, like he genuinely didn’t know.

“You know what I mean. Every time you come around, it’s ‘Sup,
Hoopster’ this, or ‘How you doing, Hoopster’ that.”

“I thought you liked it,” he said with a soft smile. “But if you hate

it, I’ll stop.”
Truthfully? I didn’t hate it as much as I pretended to. But I let the

moment pass. Then he gave me a curious—but almost impressed—
look.