Read Online Cipher (The Cipher Series) by Cindi Madsen - Free Book Online Page A

it? I realize I’m not your mom…”
    Mom would’ve been smother-hugging her by now; then there’d be ice cream. So much ice cream. Summer’s heart thudded, and she wanted to laugh and cry, all at the same time .
    “…but I can try. I’m good at listening, anyway.”
    The image of Dad strangling Cody popped into her head. No way she’d be telling him the truth about what happened. She sat up and scooted to the end of the couch. “Thanks, but I think I’m just going to go to bed.”
    “Night, kid.”
    “Night, Dad.” Already Summer’s thoughts were on how crappy tomorrow was going to be.
     

 
    Chapter Seven
     
    Summer put on her game face and trudged up the steps of the school. She’d been tempted to call in sick, but the Unicorn Stench show was today. No way Dad would let her skip school and still go to the concert.
    Please let tonight be the night I finally connect with Ashlyn. I could really use a win.
    “So,” Kendall said, stepping next to Summer. “I was thinking tomorrow night we make our boys take us to dinner. There’s this great new seafood place on the beach where The Shack used to be, and Jack said it’s really good.”
    “Cody and I broke up last night.” Saying the words aloud made Summer want to start crying all over again.
    Kendall came to an abrupt stop, her eyes going wide. “Shut up!”
    Summer told her friend the same thing she’d been telling herself since last night: “It’s for the best. He and I weren’t working anymore.”
    Kendall slid her arm around Summer’s waist and gave her a quick side hug. “I’m so sorry. I know it seems like the end of the world now, but you two just need some space. He’ll realize what he’s lost and come crawling back, you mark my words.”
    “Kendall, it’s over. There’s nothing he could say…” Summer rubbed her temples, the headache she’d had since last night growing with a vengeance. “I don’t want to talk or even think about it anymore.”
    “Well, it explains why you look so rough this morning.” Kendall’s gaze dropped to the T-shirt Summer had thrown on, disapproval filling her eyes. “I know how to make you feel better, though. You can come over tonight and we’ll have a girls’ night. We can eat ice cream and watch a movie.”
    “Thanks, but I’m going to a show with Troy and some other friends.”
    “But you’re planning on eating lunch with the girls today, right?” Kendall’s eyebrows shot up. “People are starting to wonder about you, you know. Everyone’s asking me why you’ve gone all weird lately.”
    Summer pushed through the front doors of the school. “Let them wonder. I don’t have the energy to deal with it. Besides, they’ll all be happy I’m not there. It’ll give them a chance to gossip about me and Cody’s break up.” She gave a half-hearted wave to Kendall and weaved her way through the crowded hallway, headed toward her locker.
    She froze when she saw Cody standing in the hall, her heart stopping along with her feet. While she imagined she looked all mopey, he seemed to be perfectly fine. In fact, he had his arm around Jenna Cambell, the very skank who’d thrown herself at him when Summer had been out of town last month. If there was any truth at all to Jenna’s reputation, Cody shouldn’t have a problem getting what he wanted from her.
    Pain radiated through her chest. She wished that his being a jerk last night erased all feelings she had for him. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way.
    Doing her best to bury her sorrow deep, where no one else could see it, she retrieved her books as quickly as possible and charged down the hall. When she got into her first period classroom, she sat down and took big breaths, trying to erase the images and hurt feelings, and failing at both.
    “Ready for the show tonight?” Troy asked. “It’s going to be awesome .”
    Summer glanced at Troy and did her best to sound enthusiastic. “Yeah. I’m looking forward to it.”
    Troy’s