Dead Rules by Randy Russell Read Free Book Online Page A

needed to and no one would know. Today he didn’t need to.
    Today, he was remembering the last time he’d seen the new girl. The girl with dark brown hair, a killer smile, and beautiful jade green eyes. He’d seen her on the Planet. He’d seen her in real life. Mars thought it was planned that way sometimes: to have you cross paths with a stranger you would meet in the afterlife. It had to mean something when that happened. Didn’t it?
    Jana wrote a new list.
    This one was a rapidly growing number of questions she had for Arva. She started slowly, then pushed herself to write quickly so she didn’t forget anything. Halfway through, she took a deep breath and paused.
    Jana didn’t have to ask Arva anything right now, she realized. All she had to do was read the guide-book. Arva had said there was a copy in the library.
    Scooting her chair back, she smoothed her skirt. Her hands felt cold as she touched the skin of her legs at her skirt’s hem. The Sliders were talking a mile a minute at the back table. She ignored them. Jana returned to the checkout counter.
    â€œIt’s at the tutoring table,” a Gray told her. “First-day students have priority. They’ll give it to you there.”
    â€œWhat’s the tutoring table?” Jana asked.
    â€œWhere they’re being loud,” he said.
    It was time to confront the bad boys. Jana strode to their crowded table and stood in her best posture in front of the Sliders. Michael would have been proud.
    There were five of them. They all looked messy but one. The one in the middle wore his student uniform clothes correctly. He had thick-rimmed glasses and very straight brown hair that was combed forward to form bangs. There was a prominent cowlick in back. A large open book was on the table in front of him.
    He stared awkwardly at Jana, while the others jostled and joked under their breaths. Standing in the immediate area of the Sliders, Jana felt warmth, actual heat, radiating from the group.
    â€œThe guidebook, please,” she said firmly. “It’s my first day.” She tried out her version of Beatrice’s upside-down smile on the boys. It was a great way to smile without flirting, or being nice at all, when Jana did it.
    â€œHey, it’s Webster, the girl who pokes herself in class,” the tall one with the mangled leg said. The others went quiet when he spoke. She’d seen him before, limping in the hall, sitting at the back of class with Mars. He kept one side of his face turned away from the table. The boy in glasses closed the book in front of him and started to push it across the table toward Jana.
    A Slider’s hand fell on top of the closed book and held the volume in place.
    Jana opened her eyes wide, arched her brows, and tilted her chin up slightly to the side.
    â€œIt’s ours for the hour,” a Slider said. “Our tutor is reading us bedtime stories.”
    The boy in glasses grinned stupidly. He was the tutor, Jana realized. He was the object of ridicule with these guys, but seemed happy to be accepted among them at any level. Jana was the outsider now. He was no longer the bait.
    â€œWe need this more than you,” the tall Slider said. Jana could see a portion of the side of his face he kept turned from the others. It was scarlet and rough. Brow to chin, that side of his face was badly disfigured. It looked as if it had been rubbed across a cheese grater. His death must have been painful.
    Jana brought her hand to her neck and made a circle of her mouth. She was acting.
    â€œMy oh my,” she drawled. “But I do have only a few minutes remaining and I’d like the book to while away my time.” She batted her eyelashes.
    The tall Slider snickered. The others stared. She had them locked in place. They knew she was messing with them, but they were unsure how.
    â€œI don’t think so,” the disfigured one snarled, using only one side of his mouth again.