Grandmother.

"Come on darling, why don't you read it. Darla at the center read it. She loved it. Your grandfather liked it. I thought it was excellent. I think you should at least give the book a good old college try. Who knows? You may even like reading it." I highly doubt that. I hate reading what kind of girl does she think I am? I like sports. Not reading. I only ready stuff when necessary to keep my grades up so I can do sports. If I could, I would quit school and play sports or video games for the rest of my entire life. What the point of school was, I have no clue.

Except for gym class. I just took the book grumbling under my breath. I put it in my back pack. Then I put on my coat and ran outside so I could play soccer in the backyard. My grandparent's backyard is the best. Mine has a big pool in the back, so we do not have a grassy backyard to play soccer in. We do live near a park though, which has lots of space for soccer there. My yard is large and definitely worth it to play football in the front of. I do not like softball or dancing though. I'm not like all the other girls in my school who like make up or are super nerdy.

Or those girls that are super into dating guys. You know, the ones who are like, "Oh, Jake, ummm....like, you want to go out on a date sometime?" And then have a super weird awkward laugh afterward. Then the guy would look super confused and would murmer his answer. Which was probably something like yes because all his friends are there, and so were the girls. Very few were confident enough to take off their hood and say yes. I do not understand those girls. The majority of my friends are guys. I would never ask them out like that.

There's this one super annoying girl at my school. She is obsessed with this one boy, and will not leave him alone. In fact, he has the most amount of energy when it's lunchtime. He has to run and hide somewhere in the bushes while she goes around outside screaming his name. Which was the most annoying thing. Everyone, even the kids who play basketball can hear her. Which includes me playing with the boys. It's always been like that. I never wore dresses or played with dolls. Except this one time in Sunday School. I was at my grandmothers house.

She told me to go on with the other children. They had a big bin of dolls. I was trying to impress all these other girls, who had big bows on and dresses. My grandmother had eventually decided that the best thing to do was dress me in a nice shirt and the nicest pair of pants I had. She told me I would look like very different from the other children. That the other girls had dresses on. But it was fine. So anyway, I was trying to impress these frilly dressed girls. Some were so fancy, they had on lip gloss or lip stick. My grandmother didn't even try with that.

But I did not. So I decided that the best way to impress them and show them that I stood up, and started playing with the dolls like the other girls. But then they shrieked. They said that I was gross, and I needed to wear a dress like them. I was super confused and sad that I was unable to get them to like me. I started crying and ran out of the church like the people in there were actually a cult and not a church. I decided that boys were easier. I was going to play and do boy things for the rest of my life. I have not seen those girls since.

At the time, I thought they were mean princesses. I swore to never try to impress girls like them again. And reading books was definitely a girly thing. The only time the guys picked up books was in class. But outside of class, boys were seen running away from books. But I felt sorry for my grandmother. I was an only child, and my mom was an only child. So I was her only grandbaby. I wasn't even girly like she thought I would be. The least I could do was take the book and say thank you. I didn't even have to read the book. But I should take it.

So I smiled at my grandmother and nodded. "Thank you gramma, I love you. I cannot wait to read it." She smiled and patted my head. Then she went in the kitchen and asked what I wanted for lunch, ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly. I told her ham and cheese. While I was waiting, I decided to impress her by starting the book. I would skim through the first couple pages, getting the main idea of the book. It probably looked believable. She asked if I liked it. I smiled and nodded.

Actually, it was kind of good. It was about a girl who's mom and siblings left her with her with her dad. Her dad was never around, and was a drunkard. I ate lunch. Then it was my grandmother's nap time. As she napped, I continued with the book. I was never tired, so I could keep reading it. I got about a quarter of the way done with the book by the time that my grandmother woke up. I was entranced by the book by this time. I mean, really in love with this book. Never had I read something like it.

I didn't think there would be a book out there like it. When I was done with our visit, I was half way finished with the book. Who knew that even though it was a romance, it could also be a murder. And dramatic at the same time? I mean, this book was so good. I thought books were boring. And this one really thrilling. I liked it so much. My grandmother waved good bye to me. "Bye love bug! You can keep the book. I'll see you next Saturday, and you can tell me what you thought about it."

I nodded. I got home, showered, and then climbed into bed. I wanted to finish the book, but I told myself in the morning because I was so tired. So the next day I read the rest of it. I couldn't believe the ending. I needed to talk to my grandmother. My mom wasn't home, and she never had time to read. So I grabbed my bike and sped all the way to her house. I stayed safe. I would be home in time for dinner, so it didn't matter if I told my mom or not. I knocked on her door, and stood back a little bit.

I probably looked like a mess. She probably had just gotten back from church, because she was wearing her nice Sunday dress and had her hair done. She had a bit of make up on. She looked at me and smiled. "Hello there deary. Come on in." Once we got inside she asked, "Did you finish that book?" She smiled and winked. I nod, handing her the book. "What did you think kiddo?" She say looking at her book, and then back at me. She goes to the kitchen and makes a pot of tea.

"It was so good. I couldn't believe what happened! And then that abrupt ending. But I am happy she married that one guy. I would've been happy with the other one. But the other guy really had been the one for her all along!" We talk for about two hours over tea. Then she shows me her book case. I cannot believe it. I pick out one of the books. "Thank you grandmother, thank you! I love you so much! I can't wait to see you Saturday, so we can talk again about books!"

She smiles and says, "Oh I love you too. I'm so glad you like reading as much as I do. Well, scurry home. Your mom might be looking for you." I nod and head home. I went home and started the book. Soon, my mother came home and we had dinner. The entire week I was secretly reading. I put the book in my lap, at lunch when I was eating. At home after homework and between practices. I was finished by Saturday. And then I got another book and then the cycle repeated.

Books have brought my grandmother and I closer together. Even though I'm girlier than before, I still like the way I am. I am happy about the way that things are. And now, I like reading!