Courtney Allison Moulton - Angelfire (Angelfire - Trilogy)

UNCORRECTED E-PROOFNOT FOR SALE

HarperCollins Childrens Books

COURTNEY ALLISON MOULTON

I STARED OUT THE CLASSROOM WINDOW AND longed for freedom, wanting to be anywhere in the world other than gaping up at my economics teacher like the rest of my classmates. The last time I had listened to him, Mr. Meyer had been lecturing about fiscal policy, and that was when hed lost me. My eyes rolled over to my best friend, Kate Green, who was doodling intricate flowers all over her notes and looked like she was thoroughly entertaining herself. Meanwhile, I was reduced to staring at the wiry, gray chest hair puffing out at the collar of Mr. Meyers polo shirt like overgrown steel wool and wondering whether hed ever considered waxing.

Finally, after another tedious twenty minutes, the bell rang at two-thirty and I leaped to my feet, instantly energized. Kate stuffed her papers into her notebook and followed me up the aisle between the desks. The other seniors and a handful of juniors all filed out swiftly, as if theyd only been given a five- second window to escape or they would never get out alive.

Miss Monroe? Mr. Meyer called after me just before I left the room.

I turned to Kate. Your locker in five?

She nodded and left the room with the rest of the students until I was left alone with our teacher. Mr. Meyer smiled from behind his thick eyeglasses and beckoned me over to his desk.

I took a deep breath, having a pretty good idea of what this discussion might be about. Yes, sir?

His smile was warm and friendly, his coarse, gray beard wrinkling around his thin lips. He pushed his glasses back up his nose. So last weeks quiz didnt go so well, did it?

I braced myself. No, sir.

He tilted his head up at me. Last year in my civics class you were doing very well, but the last few months of class, your grades began to slip. Since school began this year, theyre worsening. I want to see you succeed, Ellie.

I know, Mr. Meyer, I said. Excuses ran through my head. In truth, I was distracted. Distracted by college applications. Distracted by my parents constant fighting. Distracted by the nightmares I experienced every single night. Of course, I wasnt going to talk to my economics teacher about my issues. They werent any of his business. So I gave him a vague response in return. Im sorry. Ive been so distracted. Theres a lot thats happened in the last year.

He leaned forward, digging his elbows into the cluttered desk. I understand the senioritis thing. College, friends, Homecoming, boys... There are countless things grabbing your attention from every angle. Youve got to stay focused on whats really important.

I know, I said glumly. Thank you.

And I dont mean just schoolwork, he continued. Life is going to test you in ways it never has before. Dont let your future change the good person you are or make you forget who you are. Youre a nice girl, Ellie. Ive enjoyed having you in my classes.

Thanks, Mr. Meyer, I said with an honest smile.

He sat back in his chair. This class isnt so hard. I know if you just apply yourself a little more, youll get through it. My class is nothing compared to whats out there in the real world. I know you can do this.

I nodded, assuming he saved this speech for everyone who got a D on a twenty-question quiz, but he spoke with so much sincerity that I wanted to fall for it. Thanks for believing in me.

I dont say this to everyone whose grades start to fall, he said, as if reading my mind. I mean it. I believe in you. Just dont forget to believe in yourself, okay?

I smiled wider. Thanks. See you tomorrow?

Ill be here, he said, rising weakly to his feet. Your birthday is coming up, right?

I gave him a puzzled look. Yeah, howd you know? Do you want me to bring cupcakes to pass around, or something?

He laughed. No, no. Unless you really want to, I mean, be my guest. But, happy birthday, Miss Monroe.

Thanks, sir. I smiled and gave him a polite wave before turning away. As I left the classroom, I couldnt help thinking that speech was a little heavy for an economics teacher about to retire to Arizona.

I found Kate by her locker. She frowned at me as I walked up to her.

What did Meyer want? I shrugged. He wants me to apply myself more. She smiled. Well, I think youre perfect. Thanks, I said, laughing. Are you coming straight over to study for Thursdays math test? She shook her head and pulled her blond hair over one shoulder as she dug her backpack out of her locker. Im going tanning first, she said.

Why? Its September and you still look like you hang out at the beach all day. I bumped her shoulder with mine and grinned. Her skin was a glorious golden tone, but I still teased her that shed end up looking like the other orange Barbie dolls at school if she kept going. Im determined not to get pasty this winter like you always do. Kate was very pretty, and even when she scowled she looked glamorous. She was also almost a head taller than me, but that wasnt a huge feat. I was a couple of inches shorter than most of the girls my age.

Im not pasty. I glanced down at my arm sneakily so she wouldnt notice. I wasnt that pasty.

This dazzling skin isnt easy to achieve, you know. She stroked her collarbone for effect and laughed.

I stuck my tongue out at her before we moved on to my own locker. I dumped my bio book inside and stuffed my lit materials into my bag to take home. My paper on Hamlet was due the next week, so I needed to get started on it. A thud against the locker next to mine made me look up.

Landon Brooks leaned his shoulder against the locker and ran a hand through his professionally highlighted caramel-colored hair. He was one of those guys who thought surfer hair was the only way to go, even here in Michigan, where there is nowhere to surf. In fact, that was how most of the soccer team felt. Landon was my schools star forward, so of course whatever he thought was awesome, everyone else agreed was awesome too. So whats up with this party Saturday? Is it still happening?

My seventeenth birthday was on Thursday, the twenty-first, and I planned to have a party Saturday night. For some reason, the entire school had picked up on it and the general consensus was that it was going to rock. I wasnt wildly popular or known for amazing parties, but usually any party at my school stirred up a fair amount of buzz. That was what happened in a suburban Detroit high school like Bloomfield Hills, I supposed.

Yeah, I said tiredly. We just need to keep the number of guests down. My parents are going to kill me if a hundred people show up.

Too late, Kate chimed in. This is the first party of our senior year, so of course everyone is going to be pumped about it. And Homecoming is next weekend, so we need a good party to start the semester off right. The masses are growing restless. Its not like youre Leper Girl or anything. People do like you.

And you invited Josie, remember? Landon nudged.

Oh yeah. Josie Newport. Our moms had been close in high school and they still talked sometimes. Josie and I had played together a lot when we were little, but things change. She was very popular at school, but outside our moms engagements, we rarely spoke and never hung out together. I had invited her to my party when we ran into each other at the salon a couple of weeks back. I never understood the stereotype that all the popular, gorgeous girls were complete bitches. Josie was a really nice girl. She was perhaps a little clueless, but shed never be cruel to anyone on purpose. I had to admit, though, she had some friends I couldnt say the same thing about.