Read Online Found by Stacey Wallace Benefiel - Free Book Online

eggs and waffles at Penny, who grins at her and wolfs the food down. I immediately feel like a prick for announcing in public that Penny should eat – like someone who’s been deprived of food needs that pointed out.
    “So,” Elle says, “if you’re up for it, we’re going to hang out in the lounge tonight and watch Wyatt embarrass Reed at Vicious Redemption V.”
    “Whatever, Elle,” Reed says. “Always gotta have your boy’s back. I get it. You might wanna bring him a hankie to dry his loser-y tears when I kick his skinny ass.”
    Penny shakes her head. “Reed, it really is too bad you’re into guys, ‘ cause you’re such a catch.”
    Both Morgans say, “Nice!” and put their hands out for Penny to high-five.
    Elle snorts. “If watching guys play video games isn’t your speed, we could also take a trip to the Santa Monica Pier after school. It’s important to get sun when we’re stuck underground training all summer.”
    Penny’s eyes water and she blinks several times.
    “Ooh, did I put too much pepper on the eggs?” Elle slides her orange juice Penny’s way. “I get a little nuts.”
    “Nah,” Penny says, a slanted half-smile forming on her mouth.
    Ty finishes off Reed’s tea. “Yeah, let’s hit the beach. We can be bored to death with VRV anytime.”
    “All in favor?” Elle asks to resounding ‘ayes.’
     
     
     
    I wait out in the hallway, looking over Penny’s schedule on her tablet, while she gets cleaned up and changes her clothes. Her class mix is strange. It’s like Christopher has zero idea where to put her. She’s got Intro to Retroact Abilities, which is something all the prospective Retros take when they’re twelve, and two intermediate classes, Spirit Conjuring, and Glimpsing. After lunch her schedule is more in line with what the rest of the Retros our age are taking -- two advanced classes -- Lookout/Retroact Maneuvers, Society History -- and a free period. In Penny’s case, that means an Independent Study with Christopher.
    Comparatively, my schedule is awesome. Advanced Surveillance, Mixed Martial Arts, Auto Shop/Driving Techniques Simulator in the morning. Lookout/Retroact Maneuvers, Society History, Open Gym in the afternoon.
    Penny walks out of the bathroom wearing jeans and flip flops, smoothing her hands down the front of her gauzy black shirt. The collar is high, skimming just below her delicate clavicles, and the sleeves are long, but I can easily make out the shape of her body underneath. Claire has managed to find something that’s sexy, yet covers up all of Penny’s scars. My aunt is sometimes too good at her job. Be professional, dumbass.
    “Do I look okay?” Penny asks, her voice unsure. “This shirt might be the nicest thing I’ve ever owned, and I think Claire even got me two of them.”
    I glance at her quickly, like a colleague who hasn’t just been forbiddingly ogling her. “Elle has a couple of shirts like that too. You look fine. C’mon, you don’t want to be late on the first day.”
    Once we’re down in the orange hall, I walk Penny directly to her first class. She looks into the room, sees all of the scared, awkward tweens squirming in their seats, and says, “No.”
    “ No what?” I ask, absently rubbing the back of my neck like I don’t know what she’s getting at.
    “Um, no I’m not going to sit in a class with a bunch of giggling little girls and boys and learn about...” she studies the schedule on her tablet, “…Retroact abilities. Already got the rundown yesterday from Christopher and Ben.”
    “Everyone has to take it. Elle did. Reed did. Even I did just for the hell of it.”
    “Good, then you can teach me all I need to know.”
    I grit my teeth. L.A. Wyatt never grits his teeth. “No, I can’t, because I’m not able to demonstrate the abilities or explain to you how to manifest them.”
    Penny crosses her arms in front of her and sets her jaw.
    I cross my arms in front of me and set my jaw. A stare-down