Read Online Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph - Free Book Online

Cronin's pinkie.
    Okay, time to work out the logistics. At the start of the semester there were twenty-eight students in this class, but three got schedule changes and then we got a new guy from another school. That makes us an even twenty-six, which is great except if Stacy's absent that would mean, she'd be . . my partner. No way! I can't let this happen.
    Being her partner is like having all my eyelashes plucked out by a tiger.
    Gavin, what about Gavin? I like him; he talks to me. I tap his desk and point to him, then me.
    "Sorry." He shrugs. "Kayla already asked. We're in history together."
    A funny acid taste rises to my mouth. Being Stacy's partner is not an option. I'll have to tell Ms. Peters, forge a note from my mom. Anything.
    I close my eyes. I imagine Stacy laughing at me uncontrollably 84
    after she has told the whole class that I'm retarded. This is not happening.
    "Okay, is everyone paired up?" Ms. Peters asks the dreaded question.
    "One extra." Amelia points to me. God, can't she keep her mouth shut?
    I sink into my seat and grab hold of the legs of the desk. My hands are sweaty. My head is spinning. "Stacy's absent," Beth says.
    Remind me never to vote for her for student office again. "Yes, but we're starting the project in class today." Ms. Peters looks at me with sympathy in her eyes. "You could be her partner," Frank yells.
    He might as well shout, Loser alert, aisle two! I bite the insides of my cheeks and close my eyes. "Tere could join us," Gavin offers.
    A sympathy vote from the cute guy--I'm so humiliated.

    Ms. Peters claps her hands. "Excellent. Now get into your groups and I'll pass out the assignment."
    "But that means you'll have two groups of three, then," Beth whines.
    "That's fine," Ms. Peters says. "And the rest of you will stay in pairs."
    I don't move. Chairs are being dragged all around me. I don't want to mess up Gavin and Kayla's perfect twosome. I would give anything to be invisible right now.
    85
    "Come on, Tere. Move your desk up." Kayla found a seat in front of Gavin and has turned herself around to face us. She doesn't look like his type. She takes photos for the school paper and is really upbeat. She's wearing all pink, even her shoes.
    "Okay, I'll do it for you." Kayla shoots up and grabs hold of my desk. I stand up inside it and walk as she slides it closer to her.
    Ms. Peters places the assignment on Kayla's desk. Kayla reads aloud, "Each of you needs to pick an author, living or dead, that you admire. Of course, each choice is subject to my approval . ."
    "Geez, even teachers have disclaimers these days," Gavin grumbles.
    Kayla and I both laugh--she like a lion. Me like a kitten.
    Kayla continues reading, "The next step is to read one of their books and find out as much as you can about them. You will prepare your finding in a two-page paper. See attached handout."
    Kayla stops reading. "What does this have to do with a group project?"
    Ms. Peters is walking around the class and stops in front of her. "Read on."
    "Oh, right." Kayla smiles. "You will then become this author and decide what would happen if your two choices met in person. You can perform a short scene, write a poem, sing a song, but whatever you choose, it needs to be done orally. Twelve to fifteen minutes for each project."
    Okay, my brain froze when she said perform. No. Way. Do they 86
    have any mute authors? Because otherwise I'm not doing this assignment. I can't.
    "This'll be fun!" Kayla puts down the paper and pulls a book out of her bag. "I'm Judy Blume, all the way." She holds up the author's photo to her face. "See, we even have the same haircut."
    Scary.
    "What about you guys?" Kayla asks.
    "Definitely Stephen King." Gavin pushes a strand of hair from his face. I watch it fall right back.
    Kayla makes a gagging sound. "That guy is gruesome."
    "I know." Gavin grins.
    Kayla and Gavin definitely don't like each other. I grin, too. "So what about you?" Kayla jabs me lightly with the corner of Judy Blume's