12 Ch12-Good-by to Mrs. Cooney

Chapter 12 Good-bye to Mrs. Cooney Mrs. Cooney promised that she would turn herself in to the police if we let her drive us home. First she dropped off Emily at her house. Next she dropped off Andrea at her house. Then she dropped off Michael at his house. Then she dropped off Ryan at his house. And

finally she pulled up to my house. Mrs. Cooney put on the emergency brake and turned to face me. She put her hand on my shoulder. I knew what was going to happen next. She was going to try and kiss me! That's what always happens in the movies, right? Every time a boy and a girl are alone in a car at night, they start kiss- ing. It happens every time.

Yuck! I didn't care how beautiful Mrs. Cooney was. I didn't care how much Mrs. Cooney's eyes looked like cotton candy. No way I was going to kiss her. Kissing is disgusting! "Mrs. Cooney," I said, "there's some- thing we need to talk about." "What is it?" she asked. "I can't marry you," I said. "Huh?" she said. "But—" "Pleases don't beg," I said. "I had to choose between love and country. It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. But I decided that I can't betray my coun- try to marry a spy and a traitor." Mrs. Cooney stared at me for a while,

like she didn't know what to say. Then she looked all sad. I thought she might even cry, "A.J.," she said. "I understand. I'll sur- vive... somehow." She gave me a hug, and I got out of the car. The future is going to be hard for both of us. Mrs. Cooney may have to spend the rest of her life in jail for what she did. And me,

well, somehow I'll have to get on with my life without her. I think we can both do it. But it won't be easy!