Read Online Don't Die Dragonfly by Linda Joy Singleton - Free Book Online Page A

reporter, Yvette, sorting through photographs with Manny. Yvette was a tall, sharp-faced sophomore with a keen eye for detail and an ever-present camera strapped over her shoulder. She and Manny had a difference of opinion over the front-page photo, but after a heated discussion, they compromised by using two pictures. Then Yvette grabbed her stuff and left.
    Manny shut down his computer, turned as if to leave, but stopped when he noticed me. “Sabine, what are you doing here?”
    “Uh, work.”
    “What work?” He looked at my desk. “I didn’t assign you anything new.”
    “I know, it’s not really that—it’s something else.” My head ached. “I just needed to be alone.”
    “Tough day?” His tone softened as he pulled up a chair beside me. “Pour it all out to Mystic Manny.”
    “Mystic!” My laugh was bitter. “You have no idea. If you did, you’d never let anyone call you that again.”
    “Maybe I don’t really know the future, but I’m not blind. And I can tell that you’re upset. Is there trouble in Josh-Land?”
    “No. He’s great.”
    “So what’s the problem?”
    I sighed. “Me.”
    “Not possible.” The barbed wire in his braids jingled as he shook his head firmly. “I don’t believe that for a minute. You’re the hardest worker on the paper, always ready to help, and the only one who doesn’t ever complain. If I were the pope, I’d grant you sainthood.”
    “Or burn me as a witch,” I murmured.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Nothing.” I jumped up. “I better go.”
    “Not this time, Sabine.” He gently eased me back in my chair. “You never explained about the dragonfly tattoo and why you freaked out last week. And don’t think I haven’t noticed other things.”
    My heart jumped. “What things?”
    “How you never talk about your family or your last school. So I did a little checking—you understand, just building skills for my future as an investigative journalist—and I uncovered some interesting information.”
    I drummed my fingernails on the desktop, not meeting his gaze. Fighting the urge to cover my hands over my ears, I forced myself to act calm.
    “Nice, quiet Sabine turns out to be—and I quote: ‘Disruptive and dangerous to other students.’ That was from the principal at your last school.”
    “You can’t believe anything he said. He was a moron.”
    “You were also accused of being delusional and ordered to see a shrink.”
    “I only went once. She was a moron, too.”
    “A group of students petitioned to have you expelled.”
    “So what?” I shrugged. “I can’t expect everyone to like me.”
    “Well, I like you.” Manny chuckled. “Even more now that I know you have a dark side.”
    “Really?” I asked in a quiet voice, not really believing him. When friends found out you were different, they were afraid, they turned away.
    But Manny wasn’t going anywhere. “You’re one twisted chick.” His grin widened. “How did you manage to turn an entire school against you? I’d love to hear that story.”
    “You couldn’t handle it.”
    “Beany, I can handle anything—and anyone.”
    I stared at him, a wild idea popping into my head. He really did have a talent for investigating. Sure, he was stuck on himself and strutted around with an ego ten times the size of the football field. But underneath it all was resourcefulness and friendship. He had the skills to help me find out who vandalized the school before suspicion fell on me. And looking for vandals would help keep my mind off my other problems.
    So I gave him exactly what he wanted.
    The truth.
    * * *
    Instead of looking at me like I was crazy, Manny hugged me. “You’re a miracle! I’ve been wishing for you my whole life.”
    “I hope that’s not a pick-up line, because it really sucks,” I tried to joke. But my pulse was racing.
    “That’s not what I mean.” His dark eyes shone as he stared off toward a window. “The Mystic Manny column is only the