Read Online Life Blood: Cora's Choice #1 by V. M. Black - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: V. M. Black
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at me and Lisette. “I’ve still got a history final in three hours. It’s no biggie, though. 100-level core course that I saved for my senior year slack-off.”
“When are you guys taking off for break?” Lisette asked.
“Our plane doesn’t leave until tomorrow.” Sabrina cast a look at Ross. “He’s meeting the ’rents.”
“’Rents? Who the heck says ’rents?” Lisette said cheerfully. “I’ve got to be home by dinner, but my car’s already packed, so I’ve got...” She checked her watch. “Two and a half hours to burn.” Lisette lived just outside of Baltimore, in the tony suburb of Ellicot City.
“So what do you want to do?” I asked.
“I don’t know. What do young people do these days?” Lisette said, rolling her eyes.
“You know that we’re just going to end up playing ping pong at the Stamp,” Geoff said.
“Table tennis, please,” said Ross in a pained voice.
“You just want it to sound cooler because you always beat us,” I said.
“Freaking Asians and their table tennis,” Sabrina said, grinning at Ross as they linked arms.
Lisette let out a huff of air. “Fine, then. Be boring. It’s not like I have hours to burn figuring out what we’re going to do.” She stalked toward the Adele H. Stamp Student Union with exaggerated exasperation.
Sabrina chuckled. “She’s full of something today.”
“Final high,” I said. “She aced everything. Makes her kind of slap-happy.”
We entered the Stamp, and Lisette led us down the stairs, talking ninety miles an hour the whole way. When we arrived at the TerpZone, it was mostly empty. Half the students had already gone home.
“You do realize that we’re celebrating leaving school for two weeks by hanging out...at school,” I said as Geoff paid for a table.
“Oh, hush,” said Lisette. “Better than sitting around, doing nothing.” She snatched up the ball and one of the paddles. “Who’s gonna face me first? I am invincible! Except you, Ross, because you’ll beat me,” she added.
Geoff smiled at me over her head. “I paid. Other paddle is mine.”
“He’ll beat you, too,” I predicted.
“Have some faith!” Lisette protested.
I grabbed one of the chairs and sat gratefully behind Geoff as he returned Lisette’s serve. I liked watching him—tall, rangy, and athletic. And the rear view wasn’t too shabby, either. I could tell that he wasn’t really putting his attention into the game, but he still beat Lisette handily.
“Your turn?” he asked, offering the paddle to me.
I shook my head, forcing a smile. “I’m a bit tired.”
In all honesty, I could not have kept up with either of them for a minute, trying or no. My ear infection all but cleared up, but the stress of finals on top of the leukemia had left me wrung out.
“Come on,” Lisette groaned. “Now I’m going to be the ping pong dummy.”
“Table tennis,” Sabrina corrected, grabbing the paddle from Geoff.
“You have an unfair advantage,” Lisette said, pointing her paddle accusingly at Sabrina. “Your boyfriend has been showing you all those Asian table tennis secrets.”
Sabrina grinned. “Damned right. And I’m gonna school the rest of you whiteys in how it’s done.”
She served, and Lisette ducked as the ball bounced once and whizzed straight for her, letting out a piercing shriek.
Geoff and Ross howled with hilarity as Sabrina growled in mock fierceness, waving her paddle threateningly as Lisette scrambled after the ball. I laughed so hard that tears sprang to my eyes, my sides aching.
Lisette brought back the ball and threw it at Sabrina, who caught it easily. Geoff grinned down at me, hauling another chair beside mine. He flopped into it. It was nice to have him near.
I snaked out a hand, half-hidden, under the arm of the chair. He took it and folded it in his own. It felt good.
Over the next ten minutes, Sabrina crushed
“When are you guys taking off for break?” Lisette asked.
“Our plane doesn’t leave until tomorrow.” Sabrina cast a look at Ross. “He’s meeting the ’rents.”
“’Rents? Who the heck says ’rents?” Lisette said cheerfully. “I’ve got to be home by dinner, but my car’s already packed, so I’ve got...” She checked her watch. “Two and a half hours to burn.” Lisette lived just outside of Baltimore, in the tony suburb of Ellicot City.
“So what do you want to do?” I asked.
“I don’t know. What do young people do these days?” Lisette said, rolling her eyes.
“You know that we’re just going to end up playing ping pong at the Stamp,” Geoff said.
“Table tennis, please,” said Ross in a pained voice.
“You just want it to sound cooler because you always beat us,” I said.
“Freaking Asians and their table tennis,” Sabrina said, grinning at Ross as they linked arms.
Lisette let out a huff of air. “Fine, then. Be boring. It’s not like I have hours to burn figuring out what we’re going to do.” She stalked toward the Adele H. Stamp Student Union with exaggerated exasperation.
Sabrina chuckled. “She’s full of something today.”
“Final high,” I said. “She aced everything. Makes her kind of slap-happy.”
We entered the Stamp, and Lisette led us down the stairs, talking ninety miles an hour the whole way. When we arrived at the TerpZone, it was mostly empty. Half the students had already gone home.
“You do realize that we’re celebrating leaving school for two weeks by hanging out...at school,” I said as Geoff paid for a table.
“Oh, hush,” said Lisette. “Better than sitting around, doing nothing.” She snatched up the ball and one of the paddles. “Who’s gonna face me first? I am invincible! Except you, Ross, because you’ll beat me,” she added.
Geoff smiled at me over her head. “I paid. Other paddle is mine.”
“He’ll beat you, too,” I predicted.
“Have some faith!” Lisette protested.
I grabbed one of the chairs and sat gratefully behind Geoff as he returned Lisette’s serve. I liked watching him—tall, rangy, and athletic. And the rear view wasn’t too shabby, either. I could tell that he wasn’t really putting his attention into the game, but he still beat Lisette handily.
“Your turn?” he asked, offering the paddle to me.
I shook my head, forcing a smile. “I’m a bit tired.”
In all honesty, I could not have kept up with either of them for a minute, trying or no. My ear infection all but cleared up, but the stress of finals on top of the leukemia had left me wrung out.
“Come on,” Lisette groaned. “Now I’m going to be the ping pong dummy.”
“Table tennis,” Sabrina corrected, grabbing the paddle from Geoff.
“You have an unfair advantage,” Lisette said, pointing her paddle accusingly at Sabrina. “Your boyfriend has been showing you all those Asian table tennis secrets.”
Sabrina grinned. “Damned right. And I’m gonna school the rest of you whiteys in how it’s done.”
She served, and Lisette ducked as the ball bounced once and whizzed straight for her, letting out a piercing shriek.
Geoff and Ross howled with hilarity as Sabrina growled in mock fierceness, waving her paddle threateningly as Lisette scrambled after the ball. I laughed so hard that tears sprang to my eyes, my sides aching.
Lisette brought back the ball and threw it at Sabrina, who caught it easily. Geoff grinned down at me, hauling another chair beside mine. He flopped into it. It was nice to have him near.
I snaked out a hand, half-hidden, under the arm of the chair. He took it and folded it in his own. It felt good.
Over the next ten minutes, Sabrina crushed
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