Toe to Toe (On Pointe Book 1) by Penelope Freed (read with me TXT) 📕

It’s just a movie, after all.” Trevor throws his arm around my shoulder and leads me towards the movie theater where Tyler and Olivia are already waiting. “Did you hear about how they did the CG for the dinosaurs in this?” He looks down at me. My bewilderment must be obvious. “So, they put motion capture on….”

The movie is okay. A lot of dinosaurs running around and eating people, which seems dumb to me. Why would these people even go to a dinosaur park in the first place, that just sounds like a bad idea. And who thought it was a good idea to recreate giant, dangerous, flesh-eating monsters anyway? I don’t get it. I spend more of the movie watching Olivia and Tyler together than focused on the screen. Every time there is a scary moment, and there are lots, Olivia jumps and clutches Tyler’s arm until he finally puts his arm around her shoulder, at which point she buries her face in his chest and stays there for the rest of the movie. What an actress. I remember sneaking downstairs one time when we had a sleepover at her house to watch The Shining when we were ten and she never jumped once. I was the one hiding behind the couch.

By the time the movie is finished, I’m sad, tired, and want to go home. Trevor is nice enough, and pretty funny, but watching Olivia and Tyler snuggling and flirting is just too much. I glance at my watch—10:00. I think I could make an excuse to go home now without looking like a total loser. “Hey guys,” I say, “I’m gonna head home, I have a headache.”

“Now?” Olivia asks. “But we were going to go get frozen yogurt!” We were? “Just stay a little longer, please?” Puppy dog eyes. Why is Olivia so good at those puppy dog eyes? Olivia pulls me aside while Tyler and Trevor talk about some motorcycle they just spied in the parking lot. “Please Hannah? If you go home then it’s just the three of us… Come on Banana, please?” Ugh, how can I say no to that? When we were little Olivia thought my name was Banana, not Hannah. She only calls me that when she wants something, but I can’t say no to it.

“Fine.” I sigh. “But only until eleven,” I add quickly. “I’m serious Olivia!” I call to her back, but she’s already skipping off to join the boys. I can tough it out for another hour. It’s not like they’ve even kissed or anything, right? Besides, I don’t want Tyler to think I can’t be just as fun as anyone else. So instead of going home to cry and be miserable alone, I decide to stay and fake not being sad and miserable here. “Fine, frozen yogurt and then I’m going home,” I tell the air.

We walk over to the frozen yogurt place nearby, Olivia skipping along between Tyler and Trevor. I trail behind, picking at my nails and trying not to stare too obviously at the back of Tyler’s head. If I was smart, I would get over this crush. I’ve had a crush on Tyler for four years and not once have I had any reason to think it would be returned. This is the longest time I’ve ever spent with him and we conversed awkwardly for all of five minutes while we waited for Olivia to use the restroom after the movie. If only it was so easy, to just tell myself to get over it and I would.

It’s one of those self-serve frozen yogurt places, my favorite, and we each grab a cup. I fill just the bottom of my cup with chocolate and vanilla swirl then top it with some strawberries. Olivia has her cup filled with a rainbow of colors and proceeds to see how many kinds of sprinkles and chocolate she can fit on top. Tyler and Trevor’s cups are towering mountains of yogurt. Tyler’s is a trio of chocolate, vanilla and something neon green. I watch him try to get crumbled candies to stick to the sides. Am I ridiculous to think that it’s adorable how hard he is concentrating? And the cute way his tongue is peeking out because he’s concentrating so hard?

“I get it now. No wonder you didn’t want to come.” Trevor says quietly, sneaking up behind me.

“What?!” I jump, startled.

“You okay?” Olivia asks, looking up from her sprinkles. “Trevor, you sly dog! Behave!” she adds with a wink.

Trevor’s hand on my shoulder forces me to turn around and face him. “Hey, it’s okay, I won’t tell anyone,” he says with a smile. “I get the whole unrequited thing, trust me.” My face is burning, and I don’t know where to look. How could he have guessed? I thought I was being subtle. I squeeze my lips together and focus on putting another dollop of chocolate vanilla swirl in my cup. If I don’t say it it won’t be true.

“Hey.” I feel a little push against my hip. “Hannah, it’s okay really.” I shake my head, silent, too mortified to answer. “Alright, I get it. The strong and silent type. Well, Bruce Banner,” who? “As long as you don’t turn big and green on me, I’ll leave it alone. But your secret is safe with me.” Trevor takes my cup and walks off to the cash register with it. I stay where I am, staring at the ice cream machine in front of me.

This is unbearable, I should have gone home. I fumble in my purse, looking for my keys. All I want is to go home and be left alone. I’m having a hard time finding my keys because tears keep blurring my vision. I look up, hoping to see where the restroom is. Olivia is sitting on Tyler’s lap, helping herself to his frozen yogurt. Trevor is walking towards them, thankfully no one is looking my way. I hurry down the hallway towards the restrooms