Read Online Dance With a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ellen Schreiber
Ads: Link
lightning striking my already aching head.
“Why are you so tired?” Becky asked. “Did you and Alexander stay out too late on a school night?”
I couldn’t reveal to even my best friend the true reason I was exhausted. It wasn’t because Alexander and I had had a romantic late evening but rather because I’d tossed and turned all night, thinking about the harrowing events in the cave.
I was conflicted. First of all, had the strange hand on my neck really been Valentine’s? I was still uncertain who, or what, had been in the cave with us. And if it had been Jagger’s sibling, I could have been moments away from being attacked by a vampire. Secondly, when I thought it was my own vampire boyfriend who was going to bite me, I didn’t react the way I’d thought I would. Instead, I panicked. I guess I wasn’t as ready as I’d led myself to believe.
Either way, Alexander’s surprise and the romantic interlude in a candlelit cave was spoiled. “I’ll save it for another time,” was all he said when he drove me home.
“I didn’t sleep,” I finally admitted to Becky. “I’m always keyed up after a date with Alexander.”
“Isn’t this awesome?” she said with a bright smile. “Not only are we going to prom, but we’re helping with the decorations. Who knew?”
How could I get excited about paper hearts when my own real one was throbbing so hard? The most important dance of the year had been miles away from my thoughts. Instead, I was preoccupied with Valentine’s whereabouts.
Jennifer Warren, the snarky varsity cheerleader who had snagged my prom dress right in front of my charcoal-stained eyes, strolled through the office door in a red and white pleated skirt and matching shell uniform, her blond ponytail bouncing along after her. She greeted the office workers and marched straight in our direction.
Jennifer was best friends with Heather Ryan, the Prada shoe snob. I figured the two teen fashionistas had conversed, but I hoped it was too early in the morning for another confrontation about designer pumps.
Jennifer ignored me and addressed Becky. “Are you the one who volunteered to make the prom valentines?”
Becky straightened up like a ballerina. Her eyes lit up and her face flushed apple red, as if she had just been greeted by the Queen of England. At any moment, I was ready for my best friend to curtsy.
“My name is Becky,” she said, ignoring the copy machine behind her.
Jenny brandished a sparkling smile. “I see you’ve made a lot of progress already,” she remarked, genuinely delighted. “I didn’t think you’d start making them until tomorrow.”
“Becky is the early worm personified,” I complimented.
Jenny posed like a pop star, the flashing copier as her paparazzi. “I always use the best,”
she said, proud of her new disciple.
Becky beamed as if she’d been chosen for Prom Queen rather than selected to make Xeroxes for a dance.
However, it was clear to me why my best friend was really smiling. Not only was Becky dating Matt Wells, a soccer player, but she was fitting in with cheerleaders and the student body.
I was surprised at how easily the once-shy Becky was accepted by the “in” crowd, while I remained solo in the “out” crowd.
“And Raven is helping too,” Becky added gleefully.
Jenny looked at me as if I were mud she’d discovered underneath her bright white cheerleading sneakers on a rainy game day. “Uh…let me have those,” Jenny said, taking the stack from my hands. “I’ll start cutting them in study hall.”
That was my contribution to the decorating of prom—holding copied valentines for all of ten seconds.
That night, Billy Boy and Henry were locked safely away in my brother’s room doing research on the Internet for their Project Vampire. Meanwhile, in my room, Alexander patiently quizzed me on ancient Greece.
I don’t know which made it more difficult to study— Alexander’s presence or being preoccupied with
“Why are you so tired?” Becky asked. “Did you and Alexander stay out too late on a school night?”
I couldn’t reveal to even my best friend the true reason I was exhausted. It wasn’t because Alexander and I had had a romantic late evening but rather because I’d tossed and turned all night, thinking about the harrowing events in the cave.
I was conflicted. First of all, had the strange hand on my neck really been Valentine’s? I was still uncertain who, or what, had been in the cave with us. And if it had been Jagger’s sibling, I could have been moments away from being attacked by a vampire. Secondly, when I thought it was my own vampire boyfriend who was going to bite me, I didn’t react the way I’d thought I would. Instead, I panicked. I guess I wasn’t as ready as I’d led myself to believe.
Either way, Alexander’s surprise and the romantic interlude in a candlelit cave was spoiled. “I’ll save it for another time,” was all he said when he drove me home.
“I didn’t sleep,” I finally admitted to Becky. “I’m always keyed up after a date with Alexander.”
“Isn’t this awesome?” she said with a bright smile. “Not only are we going to prom, but we’re helping with the decorations. Who knew?”
How could I get excited about paper hearts when my own real one was throbbing so hard? The most important dance of the year had been miles away from my thoughts. Instead, I was preoccupied with Valentine’s whereabouts.
Jennifer Warren, the snarky varsity cheerleader who had snagged my prom dress right in front of my charcoal-stained eyes, strolled through the office door in a red and white pleated skirt and matching shell uniform, her blond ponytail bouncing along after her. She greeted the office workers and marched straight in our direction.
Jennifer was best friends with Heather Ryan, the Prada shoe snob. I figured the two teen fashionistas had conversed, but I hoped it was too early in the morning for another confrontation about designer pumps.
Jennifer ignored me and addressed Becky. “Are you the one who volunteered to make the prom valentines?”
Becky straightened up like a ballerina. Her eyes lit up and her face flushed apple red, as if she had just been greeted by the Queen of England. At any moment, I was ready for my best friend to curtsy.
“My name is Becky,” she said, ignoring the copy machine behind her.
Jenny brandished a sparkling smile. “I see you’ve made a lot of progress already,” she remarked, genuinely delighted. “I didn’t think you’d start making them until tomorrow.”
“Becky is the early worm personified,” I complimented.
Jenny posed like a pop star, the flashing copier as her paparazzi. “I always use the best,”
she said, proud of her new disciple.
Becky beamed as if she’d been chosen for Prom Queen rather than selected to make Xeroxes for a dance.
However, it was clear to me why my best friend was really smiling. Not only was Becky dating Matt Wells, a soccer player, but she was fitting in with cheerleaders and the student body.
I was surprised at how easily the once-shy Becky was accepted by the “in” crowd, while I remained solo in the “out” crowd.
“And Raven is helping too,” Becky added gleefully.
Jenny looked at me as if I were mud she’d discovered underneath her bright white cheerleading sneakers on a rainy game day. “Uh…let me have those,” Jenny said, taking the stack from my hands. “I’ll start cutting them in study hall.”
That was my contribution to the decorating of prom—holding copied valentines for all of ten seconds.
That night, Billy Boy and Henry were locked safely away in my brother’s room doing research on the Internet for their Project Vampire. Meanwhile, in my room, Alexander patiently quizzed me on ancient Greece.
I don’t know which made it more difficult to study— Alexander’s presence or being preoccupied with
Similar Books
