Free It's All Good by Nikki Carter

like the girls. Sometimes even more than the girls, and they stay instigating.
    I click over onto Valerie’s page. “I saw the pictures earlier, but they’ve been removed.”
    â€œYep. Susan Chiang’s mother tried to get Valerie to take them down and when she didn’t, she contacted Facebook and asked them to take them down.”
    â€œWell, that’s good, but I don’t think Valerie did it.”
    Kevin laughs. “Why not? She’s most definitely capable of evil.”
    â€œI know, but I saw her in the PGP meeting tonight and she wasn’t gloating one bit. Valerie always gloats over her victories against the lames.”
    â€œOkay, Gia, I’ll give you that. But if Valerie didn’t do it, then who did?”
    â€œGood question, Kev!”
    A notification pops up on my Facebook page. I click over to my wall and see this message from Ricky: Tell Tweety I miss hanging out with him.
    I swallow hard and ponder my next move. Is there something between the lines here? Is this a secret declaration of love? Or is he just talking about me, him, Kev, and Hope chilling at the rec center eating microwave popcorn and drinking cocoa.
    I decide not to post another note on his wall, because I’m not sure what’s up. I try to always know what’s going on in my circle. This not-having-a-clue mess is for the birds.
    Kevin asks, “Okay then, Gia, I’ve got pre-calc homework to finish. Did you do yours?”
    â€œSure did.”
    â€œWell, you don’t have to be so snooty about it.”
    The giggle escapes before I have a chance to stop it. “What? Are you mad that I’m a better student than you, Kevy-kev?”
    â€œI don’t like you right now, Gia. Talk to you later.”
    I press End on my cell phone. I’m about to log off the computer and find a good book to read when another notification pops up on my Facebook page. I click over to my wall and Ricky has left me another note. Somebody’s about to be 17. Are we celebrating?
    This I can respond to. I type: Are you throwing your BFF a par-tay?
    I sit at the computer awaiting his response. Finally it pops up. Sure. I’ll ask my parents.
    Okay, this could end up being totally fresh. A birthday party for moi, thrown by Longfellow High’s number-one hot boy.
    I decide to tease Ricky a little bit. Why? Because it’s what I do—especially since he’s been acting crazy lately. He deserves it.
    I type: Do I need to bring a date?
    I can see him now, sitting at his computer with his eyebrows pulled in, looking like a caveman! He’s so expressive when he’s mad.
    This is what Ricky writes on my wall next:
    :-|
    I clutch my stomach and laugh out loud. Ricky gave me the tight-lipped smiley!
    Since he’s determined to steer our relationship away from girlfriend/boyfriend waters and back to the shallow end of the BFF pool, then I’m allowed to tease him incessantly. (Look it up! Ha!)
    Tired of tormenting Ricky, I log off Facebook and turn off the computer.
    â€œHow was PGP?” Candy asks.
    Why did I not know she was behind me, reading over my shoulder? Nosy heifer. “Don’t sneak up on me.”
    â€œYou doing something you shouldn’t be doing?” she asks.
    â€œNo. It’s the principle of the matter. If we’re going to be sisters, then sneaking is not allowed.”
    Candy laughs. “But snitching is?”
    Candy went straight to the throwback of me snitching on her about her sticky fingers issue. Let’s hope it’s her former sticky fingers issue. I sure hope she’s cured of that mess. She can’t roll with me and my crew if she’s gonna be stealing. We don’t roll like that.
    â€œSometimes snitching is for the greater good. Not the same as sneaking.”
    â€œWhatev, Gia. Come in my room. I have something to tell you.”
    We have to go behind closed doors for her to tell me her news? Hmmm ... sounds like