Read Online Ruby Reinvented by Ronni Arno - Free Book Online

the closet as Summer spins around the room.
    â€œWhooooooaaaaaa,” Summer says when she stops spinning. “Cool dress.”
    â€œOh, thanks.” I feel my ears burn. “It’s just something I made out of—”
    â€œYou made that?” Summer takes a step closer to me, still staring at the dress.
    â€œYeah, but it’s no big deal.”
    â€œAre you kidding me? It is such a big deal.” She touches the hem. “Can you make me one?”
    â€œYou really want one?” I ask.
    â€œTotally.” She’s still staring at the dress. “Only make mine more crazy.”
    I laugh. “Okay! Do you have old T-shirts we can use?”
    â€œOnly boxes of them! I’ll have my mom bring them tomorrow.”
    Nobody’s ever commented on my designs before. Well, nobody’s ever really seen them, except Ellie and myparents, and they never even noticed. I didn’t wear any of my dresses to my old school because only designer labels were allowed in the building. I’m pretty sure that was written in the school handbook.
    â€œReady for breakfast?” Summer puts on shoes that are half sneakers, half boots. They’re laced up the front with rainbow laces and totally clash with her striped leggings, but I think that’s the point.
    â€œAlmost,” I say. I slip on a peach-colored shrug sweater that falls just above my waist, then check the mirror one more time to put on some lip gloss. I contemplate mascara but then remember that the only other seventh-grader I’ve seen wearing makeup at Midcoast Academy is Cassandra, and I’m not sure I want to be anything like her.
    Luckily, we don’t see Cassandra at breakfast. Summer and I both get the blueberry pancakes, which she polishes off in about five minutes. For someone so small, she sure eats a lot. Connor and Shane come in just as we’re leaving. Connor smiles at Summer and gives me a little wave. My stomach flutters, and I’m pretty sure it made some stupid gurgling sound. I hope Connor didn’t hear it.
    I have first period science with Summer—and Connor. Mr. Desmond gives me a textbook, and I take the only empty seat there is—behind Connor. Mr. Desmond draws a picture of a plant on the whiteboard. He’s talking about the partsof the plant, which thankfully I already know from my old school. We did this unit last month, so my mind’s free to wander. And it wanders to the seat in front of me.
    Connor’s light brown hair is just touching the collar of his Boston Celtics T-shirt. His knee is bouncing up and down, and every few minutes he taps his pencil on his notebook. He’s not doing anything exciting, but for some reason, I can’t stop staring at the back of his head.
    I jump when the bell rings. There is no way that class is over. I look at the clock. Yep. I’ve been staring at the back of Connor’s head for forty-five minutes. Luckily, Connor isn’t in all my classes, or I’d completely fail out of Midcoast Academy.
    I don’t see Connor at lunch because he’s in the astronomy club and they meet every Tuesday during lunch. I wonder what the astronomy club does.
    After classes are over, Summer, Katie, and I head to the library to do our homework.
    Cassandra walks with us, but when she sees Connor and Shane on the basketball court, she makes a beeline for them. Today she’s wearing boots with two-inch heels. They’re really pretty—black leather ankle boots with a fur-lined top—but I don’t know how she’s going to play basketball in them.
    We’re almost finished with our homework when Connorwalks into the library, a backpack on one shoulder and a basketball under one arm.
    â€œHey.” He sits down next to Summer and takes a book out of his backpack. I look up and smile, but he’s not looking at me.
    â€œHey,” Summer says. She’s quieter than normal. This must be her library voice.