He was sitting in a quiet reading area of the school library when he saw her approach.
He could see she had something on her mind. He reflected on the fact that she always seemed to have something on her mind. That was just the way she was. Some of his fellow class mates regarded her as a ‘live wire’, while others only saw a ‘busy body’. He had never made up his own mind, but felt there was no real harm in her. He watched as she wormed her way between tables to join him, obviously bursting with something. She quietly pulled out a chair and sat down in front of him.
Looking around, she whispered, “What I’m about to tell you is a secret and you must swear that you won’t tell anybody.”
He put his book down and studied her for several long moments.
Feeling slightly embarrassed by his silence, she went on, “You understand don’t you, you can’t pass this on? I mean, there’s no way you can tell anybody.”
He sighed. “Sorry, can’t help you there.”
“What do you mean?”
“Can’t help you,” he repeated, “I don’t do secrets.”
She giggled softly. “Oh! Come on! Everybody does secrets.”
“Maybe most do, but I don’t.” He held his palms up to her in a gesture of submission. “Never have,” he said with complete sincerity.
Feeling deflated she slumped back and contemplated what she was hearing. “I don’t see how that is possible,” she said, frowning.
“I can assure you it is. I’m living proof, if you like.” He smiled and picked up his book.
“No wait!” she blurted. “I mean, someone could tell you one, a secret I mean, but without you knowing at the time that it actually was a secret.” She grinned. “You have to admit that.”
“Yes. You’re quite right about that, of course, but I have the possibility of that covered.”
“You do?”
“I do.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “And how do you do that?”
“Sorry, can’t tell you that.”
“Whyever not!”
He winked. “It’s a secret.”