Read Online Ex, Why, and Me by Susanna Carr - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susanna Carr
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else they could do? “Then?” Michelle said, hoping to prompt him.
She sensed Ryan’s shrug. “We’ll do it again and we will eventually get it right.”
Michelle clucked her tongue. “There’s that optimism again.”
Ryan chose to ignore her comment. “Guide me to the door,” he said as he took the tray, “and then hide your phone.”
“Why would I have to hide it if it’s not cheating?” she asked as they slowly made their way to the door. She pocketed the electronic device before pounding her fist against the solid door.
It swung open, the sudden light blinding as the shadowy figure of Dr. Fielding stood before them. Michelle winced and blinked until she could see the older woman’s features.
“Well,” Dr. Fielding said in a haughty tone that made Michelle feel sorry for any schoolkid who dared to be tardy. “We were beginning to worry about you two.”
Ryan flashed a crooked smile and presented the replica with a flourish. “Here you are.”
“I have to inspect and compare it with the photo, so please put it on the table next to the others.”
“Others?” Michelle and Ryan parroted. She looked at the table and saw two replicas of the Benjamin Franklin School.
“The other teams are on to the next assignment,” Dr. Fielding explained as she escorted them to the table. Ryan slid their project onto the table, silently staring at the competition’s handiwork.
Michelle’s mouth dropped open. “No. Way.”
“It’s true.” Dr. Fielding tipped her eyeglasses as she leaned down to study their offerings.
“By how many minutes?” Michelle wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer, but it would be a special brand of torture if she didn’t know how close or far away they were with their competitors.
Dr. Fielding paused from her inspection and looked over the rim of her glasses. “I don’t believe I’m allowed to give out that kind of information.”
Translation: a lot. Michelle struggled not to show her disappointment.
Ryan shifted impatiently as Dr. Fielding studied every minute detail of their assignment. The urgency to run and catch up with the others started to build inside Michelle. Couldn’t this woman work any faster?
But what if the replica wasn’t exact? Michelle didn’t even want to think about it. She would go back in the dark room and try again, but she wouldn’t be sweet about it. And it was going to take more to convince Ryan to do the same. That would be harder than reconstructing the damn thing.
Dr. Fielding straightened and looked at them. “The replica is exact to the photo. You have passed this level and may proceed to the playground, where you will be given instructions for your next assignment.”
Michelle didn’t have time to sag with relief. Ryan startled her when he grabbed her by the wrist. She was even more surprised that she didn’t yank away. The sight of his large hand curling around her made her feel fizzy inside.
“C’mon,” he said, tugging her toward the stairs. They hurried to the main floor, the metal steps clattering under their feet.
Once they got to the hallway, Ryan headed for the back of the building. Michelle tried to keep up, but was all too aware of how her shoes rubbed against her feet.
“You do realize that the other teams cheated?” Michelle asked in a hissing whisper. “No way could they have finished so quickly.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
“I don’t know what the Aschenbrenners did, but Clayton probably used his watch. I saw it this morning and it was sweet. It definitely had a powerful light.”
“If that’s cheating,” Ryan said as he peered down one hallway before taking another route, “then you need to remember that we cheated, too.”
That didn’t make her feel better. “Yeah, well…they cheated first.”
“No, they cheated better.”
“What is the rush?” Michelle asked, wincing as Ryan made a hard right turn when she wasn’t expecting it. Her feet were killing her. “It’s not like
She sensed Ryan’s shrug. “We’ll do it again and we will eventually get it right.”
Michelle clucked her tongue. “There’s that optimism again.”
Ryan chose to ignore her comment. “Guide me to the door,” he said as he took the tray, “and then hide your phone.”
“Why would I have to hide it if it’s not cheating?” she asked as they slowly made their way to the door. She pocketed the electronic device before pounding her fist against the solid door.
It swung open, the sudden light blinding as the shadowy figure of Dr. Fielding stood before them. Michelle winced and blinked until she could see the older woman’s features.
“Well,” Dr. Fielding said in a haughty tone that made Michelle feel sorry for any schoolkid who dared to be tardy. “We were beginning to worry about you two.”
Ryan flashed a crooked smile and presented the replica with a flourish. “Here you are.”
“I have to inspect and compare it with the photo, so please put it on the table next to the others.”
“Others?” Michelle and Ryan parroted. She looked at the table and saw two replicas of the Benjamin Franklin School.
“The other teams are on to the next assignment,” Dr. Fielding explained as she escorted them to the table. Ryan slid their project onto the table, silently staring at the competition’s handiwork.
Michelle’s mouth dropped open. “No. Way.”
“It’s true.” Dr. Fielding tipped her eyeglasses as she leaned down to study their offerings.
“By how many minutes?” Michelle wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer, but it would be a special brand of torture if she didn’t know how close or far away they were with their competitors.
Dr. Fielding paused from her inspection and looked over the rim of her glasses. “I don’t believe I’m allowed to give out that kind of information.”
Translation: a lot. Michelle struggled not to show her disappointment.
Ryan shifted impatiently as Dr. Fielding studied every minute detail of their assignment. The urgency to run and catch up with the others started to build inside Michelle. Couldn’t this woman work any faster?
But what if the replica wasn’t exact? Michelle didn’t even want to think about it. She would go back in the dark room and try again, but she wouldn’t be sweet about it. And it was going to take more to convince Ryan to do the same. That would be harder than reconstructing the damn thing.
Dr. Fielding straightened and looked at them. “The replica is exact to the photo. You have passed this level and may proceed to the playground, where you will be given instructions for your next assignment.”
Michelle didn’t have time to sag with relief. Ryan startled her when he grabbed her by the wrist. She was even more surprised that she didn’t yank away. The sight of his large hand curling around her made her feel fizzy inside.
“C’mon,” he said, tugging her toward the stairs. They hurried to the main floor, the metal steps clattering under their feet.
Once they got to the hallway, Ryan headed for the back of the building. Michelle tried to keep up, but was all too aware of how her shoes rubbed against her feet.
“You do realize that the other teams cheated?” Michelle asked in a hissing whisper. “No way could they have finished so quickly.”
“You don’t know that for sure.”
“I don’t know what the Aschenbrenners did, but Clayton probably used his watch. I saw it this morning and it was sweet. It definitely had a powerful light.”
“If that’s cheating,” Ryan said as he peered down one hallway before taking another route, “then you need to remember that we cheated, too.”
That didn’t make her feel better. “Yeah, well…they cheated first.”
“No, they cheated better.”
“What is the rush?” Michelle asked, wincing as Ryan made a hard right turn when she wasn’t expecting it. Her feet were killing her. “It’s not like
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