A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell Read Free Book Online

Rachel pushes her chair back and holds her legs straight out. She is wearing dainty ballet flats with bows on the tops of her toes. Ah. She is wearing dainty ballet flats with bows on the toes, and they are two different colors. She has on a navy shoe on the left foot and a black one on the right. In the light, the difference is plain to see.
    Callie, Carolyn, Susan, Rachel, and I launch into fresh gales of laughter.
    “Oh, you’re such a dork! How did you do that?” I ask, trying to snatch a breath.
    “I-It was dark when I got dressed,” Rachel manages to explain. “What am I going to do?” she howls. “I can’t walk around like this all day! I’ll never live it down!” She lets out a loud guffaw.
    “I can’t believe you own the same pair of shoes in two colors!” Callie says.
    Rachel shakes her head helplessly. I tell her, “I think I have an extra pair of flip-flops in my locker. Come with me after the bell.”
    “Cora,” Rachel says with a gulp of air. “What would I do without you?” She squeezes my arm and I smile broadly at her. It feels like the first real smile I’ve smiled in ages. My mouth muscles hurt but they’re enjoying the exercise.
    Rachel follows me to my locker, where she quickly switches shoes and continues to chortle. I watch her affectionately. This is how it used to be between us. How it should be.
    Suddenly, a shadow falls across us. I look up; Rachel is still bent over, wriggling her foot into one of my flip-flops. Damian. He has stopped in front of me, his forehead crinkled. A long black trench coat waving around him, brushing the tops of heavy black combat boots. I’ve been carefully ignoring him in art class. It’s not too hard; mostly Damian buries himself behind his easel, and we might as well be in different rooms. On different planets.
    “Hey,” he says uncertainly. Rachel shoots up at the sound of a boy’s voice. “Hey,” he repeats, to Rachel this time.
    I am frozen.
    “Um, hi,” Rachel says, scowling.
    The three of us stand there awkwardly in front of my locker, Damian’s hands shoved inside his pockets, I’m stone-still, with my history book in hand, not at all sure what to say next.
    “Well, I’ll see you in class,” Damian says, his voice cool as ice.
    “Yeah, um, see you,” I reply. I sound like such a dolt.
    “Whoa, what was that?” Rachel asks, turning to face me as Damian takes off, long loping strides carrying him down the hall.
    “He was just saying hi, you know,” I stammer. “We have art class together.”
    “You do? ” Rachel asks, her eyes huge. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    “Well, it’s not a big deal or anything.”
    “It’s a huge deal!” Rachel exclaims. “He’s a total waster. And your mom will freak!”
    “I know. Look, it’s nothing. He just said hi, is all,” I say weakly.
    “Hmmm…well, just be careful.” Rachel warns, then she kisses my cheek. “Thanks for the flip-flops! I’ll bring them back tomorrow.” And she bounces down the hallway.
    I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. That was weird. I wonder what Damian’s deal is and why he won’t leave me alone.
    During geometry, as Mr. Lane drones on and on about planes and postulates, I start to think about the strange incident in the hall. Had Damian been looking for me? He’s neveronce passed my locker since school began. No, it has to have just been a coincidence. Right?
    When the bell finally rings, I quickly head to my locker. As I am exchanging the notebooks and textbooks in my bag for the ones I need to take home, I spot Damian, in his long trench coat that flutters about him, gliding down the hall like some large black bird. He looks over at me and nods his head solemnly.
    Again I wonder if he’s been looking for me.
    “Hi,” I say, and suddenly a major case of nerves descends on me, as he comes up alongside my locker.
    He straightens and grins. “Hey.”
    I wait for him to say more, but Damian just stares at me, giving no