Read Online Evergreen (Mer Tales, Book 2) by Brenda Pandos - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Brenda Pandos
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class he’d keep the phone ‘til the end of the year. But he couldn’t, could he? I didn’t actually get a text.
“I thought you needed to go, Ms. Lanski.”
“I—I do.” I stood and silenced the last ring by pressing OFF. I mustered all of my courage and left the phone on his desk. Hot bolts of lightening zapped through me, ones that wanted me to steal the phone and run through the door, never to return. I could have when Mr. Branson continued with his lecture, but I didn’t.
I exited the classroom for the bathroom, afraid I might actually get sick in the hall. Alone, I gripped the sink and stared at my reflection. Grey smudges lined my eyes. I plunged my ring finger under the running water while removing the bandage. Sparkles of light made rainbows on the wall of the bathroom. Fin must have been okay. I had to take hope in that.
Within minutes, the bell rang and I went back to Mr. Branson’s classroom. The phone had disappeared.
“Ms. Lanski, nice of you to return.”
“I need my phone.”
“You know my rules about cellphone use in class.”
I squinted. “I’m sorry. I was expecting an important call—about a friend who’s in the hospital.”
“Well, then. You have a serious decision to make.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you want your phone now, you’ll have to serve detention with me next week in which you’ll write a five-page paper on someone in history who lied and the consequences of such.”
I clenched my jaw. “But I didn’t lie and I have swim practice.”
“Then, I surmise you’ll be missing it.”
“Or?”
“Or you can come back after class and I’ll have a note I want your parents to sign about what happened today.”
I cringed. That’s all I needed was another reason for my mother to ground me.
“This is so unfair.”
“Unfair? You interrupt my class and complain my consequences are unfair? If this phone call is so dire, go to the office and ask to use the phone—or use the payphone.”
I exhaled hard and stared at my phone trapped in his hands. I couldn’t miss practice if I wanted to do well in the meet, but the note would mean I’d end up being grounded from my phone, no less.
“I guess I’ll come after class.” I looked down.
“In my day, Ms. Lanski, we didn’t have such devices. Use the privilege wisely.”
“Yeah,” I said under my breath as I turned away and shut the door, “I’m trying.”
11
:::
FIN
Friday afternoon, April 15 th
I rolled over with a groan as the bed shifted underneath me. Pain ripped through my thigh, freezing me in place. Mom sat next to me, pressing a cold compress on my forehead.
“Fin,” she brushed my hair back, “you’re awake.”
“What happened?” My throat felt raw.
She gave my shoulder a quick squeeze.
“We barely escaped with our lives,” she said, breathlessly.
I blinked slowly as bits and pieces came to me. Dad had warned not to push the limits and I’d done just that. I pulled back the covers and took a good look at the big bandage on my thigh and the other one around my ribs. “Geez.”
“When we heard the shot, we weren’t far from shore. Dad persuaded them to drop you in the lake, but we couldn’t stop them all.”
“What? Why?”
“I think the one with the gun is mostly deaf, that’s why the song didn’t work. Luckily, he fell asleep this morning. Dad persuaded the rest to sleep so we could get away.”
I felt for my sling pack on my chest. “My—”
“I’ve got it.” She produced the pack.
I fumbled through and found the phone—my most important possession next to my life. The screen illuminated and so did over eight messages—all from Ash.
“How long have I been out? What day is it?”
“You’ve been touch and go for at least a day. It’s Friday.”
I gripped the phone. A whole day? I needed to call her now.
“And,” Mom said slowly, “you needed a vial last night so there’s only one left now.” She frowned and dangled her necklace to show
“I thought you needed to go, Ms. Lanski.”
“I—I do.” I stood and silenced the last ring by pressing OFF. I mustered all of my courage and left the phone on his desk. Hot bolts of lightening zapped through me, ones that wanted me to steal the phone and run through the door, never to return. I could have when Mr. Branson continued with his lecture, but I didn’t.
I exited the classroom for the bathroom, afraid I might actually get sick in the hall. Alone, I gripped the sink and stared at my reflection. Grey smudges lined my eyes. I plunged my ring finger under the running water while removing the bandage. Sparkles of light made rainbows on the wall of the bathroom. Fin must have been okay. I had to take hope in that.
Within minutes, the bell rang and I went back to Mr. Branson’s classroom. The phone had disappeared.
“Ms. Lanski, nice of you to return.”
“I need my phone.”
“You know my rules about cellphone use in class.”
I squinted. “I’m sorry. I was expecting an important call—about a friend who’s in the hospital.”
“Well, then. You have a serious decision to make.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you want your phone now, you’ll have to serve detention with me next week in which you’ll write a five-page paper on someone in history who lied and the consequences of such.”
I clenched my jaw. “But I didn’t lie and I have swim practice.”
“Then, I surmise you’ll be missing it.”
“Or?”
“Or you can come back after class and I’ll have a note I want your parents to sign about what happened today.”
I cringed. That’s all I needed was another reason for my mother to ground me.
“This is so unfair.”
“Unfair? You interrupt my class and complain my consequences are unfair? If this phone call is so dire, go to the office and ask to use the phone—or use the payphone.”
I exhaled hard and stared at my phone trapped in his hands. I couldn’t miss practice if I wanted to do well in the meet, but the note would mean I’d end up being grounded from my phone, no less.
“I guess I’ll come after class.” I looked down.
“In my day, Ms. Lanski, we didn’t have such devices. Use the privilege wisely.”
“Yeah,” I said under my breath as I turned away and shut the door, “I’m trying.”
11
:::
FIN
Friday afternoon, April 15 th
I rolled over with a groan as the bed shifted underneath me. Pain ripped through my thigh, freezing me in place. Mom sat next to me, pressing a cold compress on my forehead.
“Fin,” she brushed my hair back, “you’re awake.”
“What happened?” My throat felt raw.
She gave my shoulder a quick squeeze.
“We barely escaped with our lives,” she said, breathlessly.
I blinked slowly as bits and pieces came to me. Dad had warned not to push the limits and I’d done just that. I pulled back the covers and took a good look at the big bandage on my thigh and the other one around my ribs. “Geez.”
“When we heard the shot, we weren’t far from shore. Dad persuaded them to drop you in the lake, but we couldn’t stop them all.”
“What? Why?”
“I think the one with the gun is mostly deaf, that’s why the song didn’t work. Luckily, he fell asleep this morning. Dad persuaded the rest to sleep so we could get away.”
I felt for my sling pack on my chest. “My—”
“I’ve got it.” She produced the pack.
I fumbled through and found the phone—my most important possession next to my life. The screen illuminated and so did over eight messages—all from Ash.
“How long have I been out? What day is it?”
“You’ve been touch and go for at least a day. It’s Friday.”
I gripped the phone. A whole day? I needed to call her now.
“And,” Mom said slowly, “you needed a vial last night so there’s only one left now.” She frowned and dangled her necklace to show
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