Read Online The Gifting by Katie Ganshert - Free Book Online Page B

way.
    When it comes to school, Thornsdale High is pretty much like every other high school in America. I only have to sit through a week of lunches in the cafeteria before I know all of the cliques. There’s the popular crowd, which consists mainly of jocks and cheerleaders. They’ve mastered the art of looking down their noses at everybody else. Except for Bobbi. She is president of student council and bubbly and genuine, which makes her attraction to Matt Chesterson all the more perplexing. He’s a major jerk. Sure, he’s the starting quarterback and she’s the head cheerleader. He was homecoming king and she the queen, but other than that, I don’t get it. I think his personality fits much better with Summer, but Summer is way too obsessed with Luka to give anyone else the time of day.
    Jared, the square-faced bulky kid who happens to be one of the football team’s linebackers, is decidedly opinionated in Current Events and worships the ground Matt walks on. He also drools whenever Summer’s around, which feeds her over-bloated ego. I’m not apt to dislike people, but she’s a hard one not to dislike. She kisses up to Bobbi and puts on this sickeningly sweet act in front of Luka, but when those two aren’t around, she’s just plain mean. And bossy. Anytime she catches me looking at Luka, which is more often than I’d like, her pretty, spray-tanned face morphs into a mask of ugly. If only I could take a picture and show it to Jared.
    The drama students hang out with the drama students and the band kids hang out with the band kids. Poor Scott Shroud tries sitting next to my brother at lunch for a solid week, which is a testament to his commitment as an ambassador. Scott is shier than me and a thousand times more brilliant. He’s the only sophomore in my Honors English class. Eventually he gives up with Pete and moves to a table filled with other skinny, underdeveloped, socially-awkward boys. The stoners and the Goths intermingle more than any other groups, but maintain their autonomy.
    The only two anomalies are a boy and a girl named Jess and Wren. I have no idea where they belong. Leela told me once that the boy—Jess—had a procedure his freshman year to get his tongue forked. The girl—Wren—is also in my Honors English class. She gave a very passionate presentation on the Salem Witch Trials and told everyone that her great-great-great something grandmother was burned at the stake and that sometimes, that same grandmother comes to speak with her in the dead of night. When our teacher told her that was enough, Wren started barking at her—like, actual barking—and she was sent to Principal Jolly’s office. She has purple hair and wears a skull necklace and has a tattoo of a pentagram on her pale, skinny bicep and another of a symbol I’ve never seen before on the inside of her wrist. One day in class, I gathered up the nerve to ask her about it, but she looked at me like I was the crazy one. I can’t help but wonder if she’s ever been referred to Dr. Roth.
    As far as me—I’m the quiet new girl who is largely ignored. And Leela? I am indebted to Leela. She is a lifesaver—my first real-life friend in well … ever. We hang out in our free time and she even convinces me to go to some football games. When I’m there, I never let myself look for Luka, despite his suggestion that I come. Surely he was just being nice. Searching him out would make me pathetic. So I stand next to Leela while she hoots and hollers, inwardly rejoicing whenever Matt throws an interception. The Thornsdale Dragons lose spectacularly to every team they play.
    If not for my Monday visits with Dr. Roth and the headaches and the sensitivities I’m growing adept at hiding, my birthday wish would be entirely within the realm of possibility. Normalcy draws closer, dancing just out of reach—enticing and so very real.
    Then Sunday happens.

Chapter Ten
    Hypnosis
    L eela is not big on hiking. She doesn’t like the bugs or the