Read Online Eyes Ever to the Sky (A Sci Fi Romance) (The Sky Trilogy) by Katie French - Free Book Online

that essay when he was leading his non-violent protests?” So, she did remember something from American Lit, even though she only scraped together a C.
    “ True,” Travis said, taking another drag from his joint. He held it out to Cece, who shook her head. “M.L.K. got a lot of his ideas from Thoreau cause he was such a genius. That dude knew all this material garbage didn’t matter. All that matters,” said Travis, taking a step closer to Cece, his eyes sparking, “is freedom, liberty and equality. And the simple life.” Travis gazed out over the dark field. “Doesn’t get more simple than this.”
    He was smiling and standing so close Cece could see the firelight dancing in his eyes. His look was expectant, almost delirious, as if they two were the only people in on some monumental secret. For a moment she wondered if he was going to reach out and take her hand. She had no idea what she’d do if he did.
    Headlights sliced through the darkness. Every head turned toward the car that parked in the gravel lot at the field's edge. Shaun stood up, his arms flexing. Whoever it is , Cece thought, they better be ready to take on an angry, drunk Shaun.
    The headlights clicked off. Two car doors slammed. The gravel crunched as two shadows made their way over to the fire. Cece could make out two teenagers, a boy and a girl. Was the girl wearing high heels?
    Finally, the firelight broke over their faces and Michelle walked into the clearing with a boy by her side.  Remembering what had Fer said about Michelle's family falling on hard times, Cece surveyed Michelle's appearance. At the onset she was dressed to the nines: six-inch heals, designer jeans, sequined tank top. But as she looked closer, Cece realized all that glittered was not gold. The Coach bag that Michelle clutched under her arm looked worn, and hadn't she seen that tank top at Walmart? She and Michelle might not be on an even playing field, but maybe it was stacked more evenly than she'd thought. 
    Michelle clomped over, teetering slightly on the uneven ground, looking displeased at everyone.
    The short blond boy next to her strode over and bumped fists with Shaun. Shaun handed him a dripping beer from a cooler. The two walked off into the field while Michelle stared at the fire, looking bored.
    “ Hey, let’s go say hi,” Travis said, stepping around the fire toward Michelle. Cece didn't follow.
    Fer slid up beside Cece. “Shaun and his drug buddies.” Fer nodded her chin to where her brother and Michelle’s boyfriend talked. “Gage is Michelle’s boy toy for the moment. Gage likes to buy weed from my brother. Didn’t think he’d invite them tonight, though.” Fer shot a dirty look across the fire pit at Michelle. “Seeing her donkey face really kills my buzz.”
    Cece threw her arm around Fer and led her over to another pocket of conversation. The best thing to do was pretend Michelle had never arrived. The beer was pumping through her blood stream and her shoulders had relaxed one notch. One of Travis’s friends flipped out a deck of cards and began a card trick. Cece picked a card, any card, and watched as the boy tried desperately to find it. When he flubbed it it and dropped the stack on the ground, Cece giggled and helped him pick them up. Then she noticed Travis leading Michelle over.
    “See?” he said, pointing. “Told you they were here.”
    “ Yes, you did.” She glanced at Cece and her eyes tracked after her boyfriend. “What was your name again?”
    “ Cecelia,” she said impatiently. She’d already repeated it five times at work. “You know, like the song.” 
    Michelle shrugged. “I guess we listen to different music.” She spun away from Cece and racked her eyes over Fer like she’d smelled something bad. “Fer, what an outfit . Where did you get it?”
    Fer narrowed her eyes, a charge coming off her skin as she strode forward. “Not all of us have to hide how bad we feel behind our designer jeans.”
    Cece put a hand