Read Online Jelly Cooper: Alien by Lynne Thomas - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lynne Thomas
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my head down and go for it. Focused on my racing heartbeat, my legs pump in tune with my body’s natural rhythm, pushing me faster and faster. I will myself to gather more speed. The blood courses through my veins; it feels like it’s on fire. My legs answer and I shoot forward with a spurt.
The pounding of my feet against the grass track is the only noise. I focus on the sound, willing the rhythm to quicken. Shutting out my mind everything except the movement of my body, I run, faster and faster, my legs settling into the stride. I race on, round and round and round the track, building speed lap on lap. My muscles don’t burn and cramp; they tingle and sing. They want more, so I run on and on and on until there’s hardly any breath left in me.
I jog to a halt and do the only thing that I can: I throw back my head and scream.
It’s true. It’s all true. I’m an alien and a monster is coming to kill me.
I need Agatha and I need Humphrey.
Spinning, I run straight into the rock-hard chest of Travis Jenson. Balance lost, I grab at his fleece. Travis wraps his arms around me and the world tilts.
“Whoa there. Where’s the fire?”
I panic. I can’t help it. He’s here and I’m a mess and he’s making me feel all weird and I look a mess and…
I freak out and struggle. “Let me go. Let me GO!”
Shocked, Travis unlocks his arms from around my waist and steps backwards. Balance never has been a strong point of mine, new-found powers or not, and I trip over my feet and fall, landing on the ground with a very undignified ‘thud’.
I glare at Travis . “What the hell? What are you doing, creeping up on me like that?”
Splayed on the ground, cheeks pink from the run and hair sticking up at all angles, I am very aware of the picture I present.
He laughs.
“Don’t you laugh at me, you…you… pig! ”
I scramble to my feet and brush myself down. Travis holds up his hands, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Sorry, I give up. It was all my fault. I forced you to turn around and run straight into me. No need to name call.” He pretends to look hurt. “Anyway, I wasn’t sneaking up on you. I come here every morning to run. I’ve usually got the place to myself.” He stops and rubs his chin, looking around the field. “I saw you running on the track,” he says, eyeing me carefully. “You should be on the team.”
“No thank you .”
Too fast . Too late, I realise my mistake.
“Why not?”
I shrug, staying tight-lipped.
Travis stares at me for real. “I’ve never seen anyone move like that.”
I sigh. “Like what?”
He lifts a shoulder. “I was just thinking that it would have been a struggle to beat you out there this morning and I can beat anyone in this school. Don’t you think that’s a little bit strange?”
Snagging my bottom lip between my teeth, I wrack my brains for something smart to say. Something that will steer him away from my sudden talent for track.
“It’s my, um, style ,” I blurt. “It makes me look like I’m moving faster than I actually am.”
Travis’ mouth s miles at me, but his eyes don’t and it makes me shiver. He always has this effect on me. He’s the only person in the world that has this effect on me.
He shakes his head and stops pretending to smile. “You were moving out there. Really moving .”
I have got to do something about this and I have got to do it now. I raise my shoulder and inject some venom into my voice. “So what if I was?” I sneer. “It’s none of your business. So I can run fast. Big deal. It doesn’t mean that I want to be on the team, sharing a changing room with you lot of egomaniacs. You’re as bad as the pompom brigade. IQs of amoebas and an inability to walk past a shop window without checking out your reflection. Be a part of that ? Thanks, but no. I’d rather eat my shoes.”
We stare at
The pounding of my feet against the grass track is the only noise. I focus on the sound, willing the rhythm to quicken. Shutting out my mind everything except the movement of my body, I run, faster and faster, my legs settling into the stride. I race on, round and round and round the track, building speed lap on lap. My muscles don’t burn and cramp; they tingle and sing. They want more, so I run on and on and on until there’s hardly any breath left in me.
I jog to a halt and do the only thing that I can: I throw back my head and scream.
It’s true. It’s all true. I’m an alien and a monster is coming to kill me.
I need Agatha and I need Humphrey.
Spinning, I run straight into the rock-hard chest of Travis Jenson. Balance lost, I grab at his fleece. Travis wraps his arms around me and the world tilts.
“Whoa there. Where’s the fire?”
I panic. I can’t help it. He’s here and I’m a mess and he’s making me feel all weird and I look a mess and…
I freak out and struggle. “Let me go. Let me GO!”
Shocked, Travis unlocks his arms from around my waist and steps backwards. Balance never has been a strong point of mine, new-found powers or not, and I trip over my feet and fall, landing on the ground with a very undignified ‘thud’.
I glare at Travis . “What the hell? What are you doing, creeping up on me like that?”
Splayed on the ground, cheeks pink from the run and hair sticking up at all angles, I am very aware of the picture I present.
He laughs.
“Don’t you laugh at me, you…you… pig! ”
I scramble to my feet and brush myself down. Travis holds up his hands, the corner of his mouth twitching.
“Sorry, I give up. It was all my fault. I forced you to turn around and run straight into me. No need to name call.” He pretends to look hurt. “Anyway, I wasn’t sneaking up on you. I come here every morning to run. I’ve usually got the place to myself.” He stops and rubs his chin, looking around the field. “I saw you running on the track,” he says, eyeing me carefully. “You should be on the team.”
“No thank you .”
Too fast . Too late, I realise my mistake.
“Why not?”
I shrug, staying tight-lipped.
Travis stares at me for real. “I’ve never seen anyone move like that.”
I sigh. “Like what?”
He lifts a shoulder. “I was just thinking that it would have been a struggle to beat you out there this morning and I can beat anyone in this school. Don’t you think that’s a little bit strange?”
Snagging my bottom lip between my teeth, I wrack my brains for something smart to say. Something that will steer him away from my sudden talent for track.
“It’s my, um, style ,” I blurt. “It makes me look like I’m moving faster than I actually am.”
Travis’ mouth s miles at me, but his eyes don’t and it makes me shiver. He always has this effect on me. He’s the only person in the world that has this effect on me.
He shakes his head and stops pretending to smile. “You were moving out there. Really moving .”
I have got to do something about this and I have got to do it now. I raise my shoulder and inject some venom into my voice. “So what if I was?” I sneer. “It’s none of your business. So I can run fast. Big deal. It doesn’t mean that I want to be on the team, sharing a changing room with you lot of egomaniacs. You’re as bad as the pompom brigade. IQs of amoebas and an inability to walk past a shop window without checking out your reflection. Be a part of that ? Thanks, but no. I’d rather eat my shoes.”
We stare at
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