Read Online Starfall by Michael Griffo - Free Book Online Page A

won’t grow up to be as vile as she is,” Arla replies.
    I smile because my friend knows exactly the right button to push to make me feel like I’m nothing more than a superficial, gossipy girl. And Archie knows exactly which button to push to make me tumble back to reality.
    â€œUnless her baby daddy is some unbelievably smokin’ Abercrombie & Fitch flip-flop-wearing dude,” he ponders.
    It’s as if Caleb’s invisible string is pulling at me to look at him, but I refuse; there is no way that he’s the father of Nadine’s baby. I won’t accept it, and I can’t believe for a second that it could be true.
    Turning my head in the other direction is just as bad because I see Barnaby hanging in midair, about to plunge into the river. Stay under, Barnaby; stay where it’s peaceful; don’t ever come back up. My wish is ignored, and seconds later he pops up, shaking his head from side to side and spraying Gwen and Jody with water. The three of them quickly engage in a splash fight, and I wish I could watch them forever, but there’s something nagging at me in the pit of my stomach, the same something that’s growing inside of Nadine’s. The next generation of evil has got to have a father. Then again maybe not.
    â€œYou are not going to believe this!”
    In one quick motion Caleb, Archie, and I are surrounding Arla, looking at the screen of her iPhone.
    â€œAnd just why are we looking at a jellyfish?” Caleb asks.
    â€œThis isn’t an ordinary jellyfish,” she replies. “It may also be a jaffefish.”
    A what?
    â€œThis type of jellyfish reproduces asexually.”
    I’m only mildly better at science than I am at math, so I can’t follow Arla’s lecture. Luckily, Caleb is a left-side brain person, and he gets it instantly.
    â€œYou think Nadine could’ve impregnated herself?” he asks.
    Archie and I make the same face, as if we just realized we bit into a booger burger; we are beyond disgusted to think that Nadine did the nasty to herself. Teenagers, however, are incredibly fickle, and grossed out quickly turns into engrossed.
    â€œAnd you will never ever guess what this type of jellyfish is named,” Arla taunts. “And by never ever I mean never to the infinite power.”
    Well then, why should we even try to guess?
    â€œIt’s called a moon jellyfish!”
    The three of us gasp so loudly that the cluster of kids near us looks over to investigate. Luckily their interest is only mild, and they soon continue with their own conversations, and we follow suit.
    â€œLet me see that!” I demand, ripping Arla’s phone out of her hands. She’s right! The only type of jellyfish that can reproduce without any help from another jellyfish is called the moon jellyfish. That can’t be a coincidence because I’ve already proven that there are no coincidences. No, this is a sign; the universe is telling us that just as the moon controls me, it’s controlling Nadine. My boyfriend’s thoughts are less sophisticated.
    â€œDo you think Nadine hooked up with herself again after the dirty deed?” Caleb asks. “Or do you think she’s been avoiding all her texts?”
    Seconds later out bursts his trademark high-pitched laughter, and soon we all join in, our laughter so loud that we attract even more attention. What does it matter? There’s no way that they can know what we’re laughing about; there’s no way that they can know we’ve stumbled upon another possible truth that defies explanation. Because if I can turn into a werewolf and Luba can draw upon Orion for her unnatural powers, why can’t Nadine get pregnant on her own without having sex? And even if the concept of an indecent conception doesn’t entirely compute, it at least allows me to have a few worry-free hours hanging out with my friends.
    Until I get home and have to face