Read Online The Talents by Inara Scott - Free Book Online

before they figured that out.
    I got off the bus in front of Jack. He followed me down the steps, but when I turned around he had wandered off. His hands were thrust deep in his pockets, his jaw clenched as he stared up at those huge columns. He looked back and forth between the crowd and the school, glaring at everyone who walked too close. I guessed he was nervous, but he did look genuinely intimidating, so I stayed away.
    It was a little disappointing, because I’d felt so comfortable with him, and it had been a relief to find someone who felt the same way I did about Delcroix. But it was for the best.
    After all, I wasn’t here to make friends.
    I walked up the white steps, trying not to look like a tourist as I checked everything out. Inside, the school resembled Danville High, only smaller. The walls displayed bulletin boards, glass trophy cases, and pictures of past principals. But unlike Danville, incredible paintings hung everywhere, alongside black-and-white photographs matted in silvery metallic frames. Blown-up newspaper clippings showed a new ballet company opening in Texas, a guy in an army uniform shaking the president’s hand, and a doctor cutting a ribbon by the doors of a hospital. Former students, I guessed.
    Everyone seemed to walk off the bus with a crowd of friends, and even though I wanted to be alone, it was hard to watch everyone else laughing and hanging out together. I guess that’s why, when Esther and Hennie ran up to me a few seconds later, I couldn’t muster a bored look.
    Hennie was even cuter standing up than she had been sitting down, but a few feet away she tripped over her shoelace, and if Esther hadn’t caught her, she would have done a spectacular face plant right in the middle of the front hall. Esther whooped with laughter. Hennie, her gorgeous skin two shades darker, tried to look nonchalant as she regained her balance. But then she turned to Esther and broke into uncontrollable giggles.
    â€œHennie, you’re as clumsy as ever!” Esther teased. “Dancia, you would not believe how many times I’ve saved Hennie from total disaster. I swear, she is the most uncoordinated person you will ever meet.”
    â€œThanks a lot,” Hennie exclaimed. “At least I don’t sound like a hyena when I laugh.”
    For some reason this set Esther off again, and they laughed together until they were both wiping tears from their faces. The two of them were infectious, and I couldn’t help but smile.
    â€œNow Dancia is going to think we’re completely insane,” Esther said.
    â€œI don’t know about insane,” I said. “But not normal. Which is cool, if you ask me.”
    Hennie nodded gravely. “I had a feeling you’d understand.”
    Esther grinned and looped her arm through mine. She spun around slowly in the hall. “Isn’t the school amazing? Look at all these pictures! It’s like an art gallery in here.”
    â€œMy mom said she heard they had to have a security system just for the art. And I heard Kofi Annan came to visit last year. Can you imagine?” Hennie asked.
    I had no idea who she was talking about, but I tried to look knowledgeable. “Yeah, it’s amazing.”
    Esther poked her in the ribs. “You’re so serious, Hennie! Let’s talk about something much more important—did you see all the cute guys on the bus? And who were you sitting with, Dancia? What’s his story?”
    I nonchalantly perused the crowd to see if Jack was lurking nearby. He was, still standing at the edge of the crowd with a scowl on his face. I steered Hennie and Esther farther away and whispered, “He had just seen me around. We don’t really know each other.”
    â€œWell, he’s hot, so you’d better introduce us,” Esther said in a stern tone.
    â€œYou think so?” I looked at him again out of the corner of my eyes. Jack’s face looked older than the