Read Online It Begins by Richie Tankersley Cusick - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richie Tankersley Cusick
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creasing in thought. “Good thing he’s so gorgeous—he certainly doesn’t have good breeding going for him.”
“Then how can you really know him?” Lucy asked tightly. “How can you be so sure he’s
not
like his mother?
Or
his sister?”
How can you be sure he doesn’t stalk unsuspecting victims, or murder girls in cemeteries, or see into a person’s mind …
“Well …” Angela’s look was blank. “That’s just silly.”
“Why
is it silly? You said he keeps to himself … that no one really knows him—”
“God, what is this whole
obsessing
thing?”
“What about his life away from school? What about his private thoughts? What about his feelings?”
Angela made no effort to hide her amusement. “His feelings? Oh, I’d like to feel him, all right—in places
besides
my fantasies. Just like every other female around here.”
She stepped back from the mirror. She ran a slow gaze over Lucy, then shook her head in mock disappointment.
“Poor Lucy … take my advice, okay? Forget about Byron. As a matter of fact, forget about
anybody.
You look like you’ve been run over by a bus. And you just had some kind of weird fit—not to mention nearly throwing up—in the middle of class. I mean, it’s so
embarrassing.
Everyone already thinks you’re a freak, and it’s only your first day.”
It took all Lucy’s effort to compose herself. She wadded up her paper towel, tossed it intothe trash, and carefully smoothed the front of her sweater. “You know what? I’m actually feeling much better. In fact, I don’t think I even need to see the nurse now.”
“Then why’d I waste my time trying to find you?”
Biting back a reply, Lucy followed Angela back to class. Byron didn’t even glance at her as she slid into her seat, didn’t seem to feel her eyes boring into him as she tried to ignore the stares and whispers around her. He was out of his chair as soon as the bell rang, and though Lucy hurried to catch up with him, he’d already disappeared into the crowded hallway by the time she reached the door.
She didn’t see him again the rest of the afternoon, neither in class nor on campus. As though he’d vanished from her life just as quickly as he’d appeared.
By the time the final bell rang, Lucy was never so glad to have a day end—it took every last effort just to drag herself to her locker. Everywhere she turned, there was talk about the big weekend ahead, exciting plans for the Fall Festival, but all
she
planned on doing waslocking herself in her room and staying in bed. She was just rechecking her homework assignments when Angela showed up, greeting her with a sullen frown.
“Hurry up,” Angela complained. “I have better things to do than stand around and wait for you all day.”
“You just got here. You’ve been waiting for—what? Two whole seconds?”
“Do you want a ride or not?”
Lucy slammed her locker door. Lowering her head, she did a quick assessment of her books, oblivious to the kids shoving past her till she felt a quick, light pressure on her arm.
“What?” Startled, she looked up. Angela was standing several feet away, watching her with growing impatience.
“What?” Angela echoed.
“Did you just touch me?” Yet even as she asked, Lucy knew it hadn’t been Angela. Somehow, in that precise moment, she
knew
it was the girl who’d come to her aid in the bathroom.
That’s impossible … how could I know that?
“What are you talking about?” Angela frowned.
Immediately Lucy stood on tiptoes, anxiouslyscanning the corridor. It was packed with students eager to start the weekend, but none of them seemed to be paying any attention to her.
This is just crazy.
“Someone touched my arm,” Lucy insisted. Puzzled, she turned to Angela, who was now making an exaggerated show of checking her watch.
“You
think?”
Angela threw back at her. “I mean, there’re only about a
million
people around here bumping into each other.”
“No, but …”
“But
“Then how can you really know him?” Lucy asked tightly. “How can you be so sure he’s
not
like his mother?
Or
his sister?”
How can you be sure he doesn’t stalk unsuspecting victims, or murder girls in cemeteries, or see into a person’s mind …
“Well …” Angela’s look was blank. “That’s just silly.”
“Why
is it silly? You said he keeps to himself … that no one really knows him—”
“God, what is this whole
obsessing
thing?”
“What about his life away from school? What about his private thoughts? What about his feelings?”
Angela made no effort to hide her amusement. “His feelings? Oh, I’d like to feel him, all right—in places
besides
my fantasies. Just like every other female around here.”
She stepped back from the mirror. She ran a slow gaze over Lucy, then shook her head in mock disappointment.
“Poor Lucy … take my advice, okay? Forget about Byron. As a matter of fact, forget about
anybody.
You look like you’ve been run over by a bus. And you just had some kind of weird fit—not to mention nearly throwing up—in the middle of class. I mean, it’s so
embarrassing.
Everyone already thinks you’re a freak, and it’s only your first day.”
It took all Lucy’s effort to compose herself. She wadded up her paper towel, tossed it intothe trash, and carefully smoothed the front of her sweater. “You know what? I’m actually feeling much better. In fact, I don’t think I even need to see the nurse now.”
“Then why’d I waste my time trying to find you?”
Biting back a reply, Lucy followed Angela back to class. Byron didn’t even glance at her as she slid into her seat, didn’t seem to feel her eyes boring into him as she tried to ignore the stares and whispers around her. He was out of his chair as soon as the bell rang, and though Lucy hurried to catch up with him, he’d already disappeared into the crowded hallway by the time she reached the door.
She didn’t see him again the rest of the afternoon, neither in class nor on campus. As though he’d vanished from her life just as quickly as he’d appeared.
By the time the final bell rang, Lucy was never so glad to have a day end—it took every last effort just to drag herself to her locker. Everywhere she turned, there was talk about the big weekend ahead, exciting plans for the Fall Festival, but all
she
planned on doing waslocking herself in her room and staying in bed. She was just rechecking her homework assignments when Angela showed up, greeting her with a sullen frown.
“Hurry up,” Angela complained. “I have better things to do than stand around and wait for you all day.”
“You just got here. You’ve been waiting for—what? Two whole seconds?”
“Do you want a ride or not?”
Lucy slammed her locker door. Lowering her head, she did a quick assessment of her books, oblivious to the kids shoving past her till she felt a quick, light pressure on her arm.
“What?” Startled, she looked up. Angela was standing several feet away, watching her with growing impatience.
“What?” Angela echoed.
“Did you just touch me?” Yet even as she asked, Lucy knew it hadn’t been Angela. Somehow, in that precise moment, she
knew
it was the girl who’d come to her aid in the bathroom.
That’s impossible … how could I know that?
“What are you talking about?” Angela frowned.
Immediately Lucy stood on tiptoes, anxiouslyscanning the corridor. It was packed with students eager to start the weekend, but none of them seemed to be paying any attention to her.
This is just crazy.
“Someone touched my arm,” Lucy insisted. Puzzled, she turned to Angela, who was now making an exaggerated show of checking her watch.
“You
think?”
Angela threw back at her. “I mean, there’re only about a
million
people around here bumping into each other.”
“No, but …”
“But
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