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Show Inside Out, 96 My heart started pounding. It wouldn't be long until he turned around. Should I stay? What should I say to him? I moved closer, curious to see what book he would pick out. His hair was falling forward over his eyes. He had on a gray-blue long-sleeved T-shirt that made him look strong and solid. And, well, yummy. He knelt down and pulled a book from the shelf, then stood and turned. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. "Uh, hi," I said. His face burst open like sun coming behind the clouds. I stepped closer to warm myself. "Andli! Hi!" "Are you, uh-" I gestured over his shoulder. "Are you looking for a book?" "Oh, yeah," he said. "I need to get some more pages." I guessed he was referring to the outside reading requirement for English. "Do you have a recommendation?" A recommendation? I felt flustered. For as much as I read, surely I could think of something he would like. Especially since we shared the same taste. But what if we didn't? What if I told him to read something and he hated it? The pressure was killing me. "Um. What have you read before that you liked?" "Well, I just finished The Catcher in the Rye, and I thought that was pretty cool." Ahh. Now I was comfortable. "Salinger!" My voice kind of squeaked. Tone it down, Andli. Don't drip. I leaned around him and moved toward the S shelf. Then, in a lower voice, "I love Salinger. Have you read any of his short stories?" "No, that was my first one by him. Has he written others?" |