With All My Soul
Page 14
Do you see that? Sophie demanded, like I was refusing to look. Were the most dangerous school in the country.
Of our size, Luca added, looking up at her. Dont you want something to eat?
How could I possibly digest anything with that staring back at me? She waved one hand at the paper still lying on the table.
Whats wrong? Nash asked as he and Sabine settled onto the bench next to Luca.
Whats wrong? Weve just surpassed inner-city alternative schools all over the country as the most dangerous school in the U.S.
Of our size, Luca added again. Im sure there are way more dangerous schools out there with several thousand students.
Nash laughed, and Sophie turned on him. This isnt funny! All the other schools on this list are plagued by gang violence and organized crime. She lowered her voice and leaned over the table. Were the only one overrun with demons.
How do you know? Sabine plucked a fry from Nashs tray.
What? My cousin finally sank onto the bench.
How do you know those other schools arent also infested by hellions? I mean, the paper doesnt say thats whats wrong with our school, does it? she asked, and Sophie shook her head reluctantly. Then it may not say whats really wrong with those schools, either. For all we know, their gang violence could really be roving bands of gremlins, shaking down students for their lunch money and handheld technology.
When somethings funny, you should let yourself laugh, Nash added. Otherwise, youll just stay mad or scared, and those little frown lines in your forehead will become permanent.
Sophies eyes widened, and Sabine laughed out loud.
Hey, Sophie! Someone called from across the quad, and we all looked up to see Jennifer Lamb crossing the grass toward us, holding a chemistry textbook. Can you give this to your cousin? She left it in class.
My cousin? Sophie stood to take the book and glanced at me in confusion, but before I could tell her it wasnt my book, Jennifer elaborated.
Emily, right? Shes my new lab partner. Is she always so...grumpy?
Sophies hand clenched around the thick textbook. Shes Kaylees cousin. On a completely different side of the family.
Jennifer frowned. But her last name is Cavanaugh.
Sophie turned to glare at me. Great. You made her my cousin, too.
I tried to hide a laugh while Jennifer backed away from us in confusion.
Emma finally showed up nearly halfway into the lunch period, about thirty secondsbefore I would have gone to look for her. Today sucks! She dropped her bag on the table, and Luca had to snatch his tray out of the way before his burger got smashed. My new math teacher made me take some kind of placement test, which made me late for English, so now my English teacher hates me. My new lab partner is an idiot, and I spent half of lunch looking for my damn chemistry book. And I hate cafeteria hamburgers. She collapsed onto the bench in a huff and leaned forward to put her forehead on the table.
We stared at her in surprise. I think we all expected her to sit up with a smile and jokingly demand a do-over day. When that didnt happen, I put one hand on her shoulder. Em.
What? She didnt even look up.
Nash took her text from Sophie. Your idiot lab partner brought your chemistry book.
Em sat up and snatched the book from him. She probably stole it. Sabotage. I had no idea we went to school with so many stuck-up little bitches.
A sick feeling swelled in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. Something beyond the obvious.
Sophies brows rose. As one of those stuck-up bitches, I have to say, Im a little offended.
Sometimes the truth hurts.
I gaped at Em. She was going through something really difficultwe all knew thatbut she was still Emma. She was still loyal to her friends and relatively calm, unless she was defending one of them, and generally a pleasant person to be around.
Em, is something wrong?
She turned on me, anger flashing in her eyes. Werent you paying attention? Everything is wrong. Im too short to see the whiteboard from the back of the class, and no ones even said hi to me all day. And its your fault, Kaylee. You stuck me in this stupid twig body, and no one notices twigs. When was the last time you saw a guy hit on a girl shaped like a chopstick? She frowned, then rolled her eyes. I guess Im asking the wrong person, huh? Obviously the Hudsons like girls who look like little boys. That androgynous thing might work for you, but for me, its a definite step down.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I couldnt think past my shock and the sting of her words. Id never seen her so angry.
And I was not androgynous!
Sabine? Nash looked as confused as the rest of us. Are you doing this? He couldnt be more specific without risking clueing Sophie in on the fact that Sabine was intentionally manipulating fears. Again.
Its not me. The mara looked like she wanted to say more. I can only mess with fear, and she doesnt have any right now. None. This tastes like anger to me.
Of our size, Luca added, looking up at her. Dont you want something to eat?
How could I possibly digest anything with that staring back at me? She waved one hand at the paper still lying on the table.
Whats wrong? Nash asked as he and Sabine settled onto the bench next to Luca.
Whats wrong? Weve just surpassed inner-city alternative schools all over the country as the most dangerous school in the U.S.
Of our size, Luca added again. Im sure there are way more dangerous schools out there with several thousand students.
Nash laughed, and Sophie turned on him. This isnt funny! All the other schools on this list are plagued by gang violence and organized crime. She lowered her voice and leaned over the table. Were the only one overrun with demons.
How do you know? Sabine plucked a fry from Nashs tray.
What? My cousin finally sank onto the bench.
How do you know those other schools arent also infested by hellions? I mean, the paper doesnt say thats whats wrong with our school, does it? she asked, and Sophie shook her head reluctantly. Then it may not say whats really wrong with those schools, either. For all we know, their gang violence could really be roving bands of gremlins, shaking down students for their lunch money and handheld technology.
When somethings funny, you should let yourself laugh, Nash added. Otherwise, youll just stay mad or scared, and those little frown lines in your forehead will become permanent.
Sophies eyes widened, and Sabine laughed out loud.
Hey, Sophie! Someone called from across the quad, and we all looked up to see Jennifer Lamb crossing the grass toward us, holding a chemistry textbook. Can you give this to your cousin? She left it in class.
My cousin? Sophie stood to take the book and glanced at me in confusion, but before I could tell her it wasnt my book, Jennifer elaborated.
Emily, right? Shes my new lab partner. Is she always so...grumpy?
Sophies hand clenched around the thick textbook. Shes Kaylees cousin. On a completely different side of the family.
Jennifer frowned. But her last name is Cavanaugh.
Sophie turned to glare at me. Great. You made her my cousin, too.
I tried to hide a laugh while Jennifer backed away from us in confusion.
Emma finally showed up nearly halfway into the lunch period, about thirty secondsbefore I would have gone to look for her. Today sucks! She dropped her bag on the table, and Luca had to snatch his tray out of the way before his burger got smashed. My new math teacher made me take some kind of placement test, which made me late for English, so now my English teacher hates me. My new lab partner is an idiot, and I spent half of lunch looking for my damn chemistry book. And I hate cafeteria hamburgers. She collapsed onto the bench in a huff and leaned forward to put her forehead on the table.
We stared at her in surprise. I think we all expected her to sit up with a smile and jokingly demand a do-over day. When that didnt happen, I put one hand on her shoulder. Em.
What? She didnt even look up.
Nash took her text from Sophie. Your idiot lab partner brought your chemistry book.
Em sat up and snatched the book from him. She probably stole it. Sabotage. I had no idea we went to school with so many stuck-up little bitches.
A sick feeling swelled in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. Something beyond the obvious.
Sophies brows rose. As one of those stuck-up bitches, I have to say, Im a little offended.
Sometimes the truth hurts.
I gaped at Em. She was going through something really difficultwe all knew thatbut she was still Emma. She was still loyal to her friends and relatively calm, unless she was defending one of them, and generally a pleasant person to be around.
Em, is something wrong?
She turned on me, anger flashing in her eyes. Werent you paying attention? Everything is wrong. Im too short to see the whiteboard from the back of the class, and no ones even said hi to me all day. And its your fault, Kaylee. You stuck me in this stupid twig body, and no one notices twigs. When was the last time you saw a guy hit on a girl shaped like a chopstick? She frowned, then rolled her eyes. I guess Im asking the wrong person, huh? Obviously the Hudsons like girls who look like little boys. That androgynous thing might work for you, but for me, its a definite step down.
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I couldnt think past my shock and the sting of her words. Id never seen her so angry.
And I was not androgynous!
Sabine? Nash looked as confused as the rest of us. Are you doing this? He couldnt be more specific without risking clueing Sophie in on the fact that Sabine was intentionally manipulating fears. Again.
Its not me. The mara looked like she wanted to say more. I can only mess with fear, and she doesnt have any right now. None. This tastes like anger to me.
