Read Online Push and Shove: The Ghost Bird Series: #6 (The Academy) by C. L. Stone - Free Book Online Page B

sifting through the closet, organizing my clothes and some of Nathan’s too. I stood beside him, simply watching as he worked. I admired the red crystal studs in his ears. His hair was growing out a little. Brown hair was emerging at his scalp, replacing his blond locks. I wondered if he was going to grow it long like Luke’s hair, down to the shoulders.
    “We might have to redo this closet sometime,” Gabriel said. “I want to stick some extra clothes over here for everyone. Since the diner’s open, we’re going to need to keep more things here. Kota’s closet is getting full.”
    “How much stuff do you keep in his closet?”
    “Right now, there’s spares of these ridiculous school uniforms. Actually I need to go through his closet, too. There’s old things he wears that are faded or worn. He’ll hang onto clothes for forever.”
    “If you need to store more things, we could use my house,” I said. “At least the attic.”
    “Sweetie, we’re trying to get you out, not move everyone in.” Gabriel picked up a skirt and held it up to my body. “Where did this come from? Try this on.”
    I took the skirt from him. It was a short pencil-line skirt. It was more formal than I remember Gabriel buying for me, but then, that day was a blur of clothes. “Didn’t I try this on the day we went shopping? I mean, it’s new.”
    “You haven’t worn it yet?”
    “The price tags are on all the ones I haven’t worn.”
    He checked, and a price tag was hanging off the back. “Christ, I buy you clothes and you wear the same things all the time. Wear this tomorrow.”
    “It’s cold out.”
    “The school’s warm inside.” He tossed the skirt at me. “Try it on.”
    I grunted, going to Nathan’s bathroom. I shut the door and quickly put the skirt on. I stomped back out again, holding my arms out, waiting for him to give a thumbs up or down.
    Gabriel looked up from shuffling through Nathan’s dresser. He tilted his head. “I bought that for you?”
    “Wasn’t it with the others? It’s not one of my old ones and I don’t think this belongs to Marie.”
    “It’s not Danielle’s, is it? From when she stole your clothes?”
    “I don’t think so. Those were all jeans and T-shirts.”
    He jumped up. He hooked his fingers at the waist and jerked. Part of the edge was so loose, it could have slid off my hips if he tugged the other way. “Sweetie, you’re a stick. No wonder you fainted. You need to go eat.”
    “We’re about to,” I said.
    “I’m not shopping for a new set of clothes for your ass because you’re not eating.” He slapped me on the thigh. “No wonder everything’s looking like shit on you lately. They don’t fit right.”
    I made a small noise, backing away from him to fall into Nathan’s bed. I stretched out. For some reason, my stomach was hurting a little. I wasn’t hungry, but there was a pang. I tried to ignore it, thinking perhaps it was just nerves.
    Gabriel flopped onto the bed next to me, holding his head up in his hand. “Sang, look at me. Tell me why you aren’t eating.”
    My eyes went wide. “Because I forget! I’ve told you.”
    “Are you sure that’s the reason?”
    My mouth fell open, but Gabriel caught my chin, forcing my mouth closed. “Let me finish. If you’ve turned anorexic or some shit, so help me god, I’ll beat that pretty ass of yours. But if you were anorexic, you wouldn’t admit it and say you’re fine and all that. So I’m asking you flat out because if you’re not honest with me, I have to get all Mr. Blackbourne on you. And if I didn’t ask, I’d be an ass. So you see? I have to make sure.”
    “I wasn’t trying to not eat,” I said. “I thought I was eating. We had cupcakes and pizza at the party. I split lunch with you at school. If I was trying to not eat, I wouldn’t be eating cupcakes.”
    “Unless you’re throwing them up. You’re not puking are you?”
    “Ew, no. “I can’t stand doing that when I’ve got the