Emerge by Tobie Easton Read Free Book Online Page A

stands alone by her locker. I take a deep breath. I’d better try this before I lose my nerve.
    Yes, a part of me wants to unleash my girl-claws and rip her to shreds, but another part of me knows it’s totally irrational to hate her just because she gets to have hot make out sessions with the guy I like. I’ve chosen not to risk being with Clay, and now I have to act like someone way more mature and live with that choice. We all need to stick together up here, and that means it’s my job to be the bigger Mermaid and reach out to her.
    I walk up to her locker. “Hey.” I hope I sound natural. “I’m glad you came last night.”
    “Are you?” Her gaze is calculating, like she’s appraising me again. I don’t like it.
    “Sure. Um, my sisters and I sometimes grab sushi together after school. We’re going today and I thought maybe you’d like to come.” I rush through the invitation before I can talk myself out of it. She’s new. She has no friends. She needs this.
    “No, thanks,” Melusine replies coolly, shutting her locker.
    “Oh, well, maybe another day this week?” I should be glad she’s said no and drop it, but I can’t forget my promise to my parents.
    “Look, Lia, I know you’re only trying to be besties because your parents told you to be nice to me.”
    “That’s not true,” I insist. We both know it’s a fat lie.
    “I’ve been at this school for three weeks, and you didn’t say so much as hello to me until last night at the party.”
    “I’m sorry. I—”
    “Save it. I can survive without your friendship. I’m used to being on my own.” She turns and stalks past me down the hallway. Does that mean I’m off the hook?
     
     

     
     
    As soon as the bell rings, I have more to worry about than Melusine’s determination to be a loner. I hate having P.E. first period.
    It would be an overstatement to say I’m as excited as Kelsey to start self-defense, but no matter how brainless a teacher Coach Crane is, I figure since the subject is new for everyone, we’ll start with some light punches and blocks. That, I can handle.
    When I walk out of the locker room in my P.E. uniform and enter the gym, one look at the coach tells me I’m wrong. Her thick muscles are covered by even thicker padding strapped to her arms, legs, and torso. This is a woman who didn’t even bother to wear a helmet when she taught us lacrosse. The fact that she feels the need for so much protective gear does not bode well for the safety level of today’s activities.
    “Gather up!” she calls as we make our way over to where she’s set up a whole patchwork of mats. “To start our study of self-defense, we’re going to test your instincts. You’ll come up one at a time and fight me. That way, I’ll get to see what your individual strengths and weaknesses are.”
    “We’re not working on techniques first?” asks Hannah, a wide-eyed girl who looks as scared as I feel.
    “I want you to see how you’d do if someone attacked you today. Hopefully that will motivate you to take this seriously.”
    I know how I’d do if some psycho attacked me—I’d die. I don’t need to be beaten up by my P.E. coach to figure that out. What I do need to figure out is how I’ll get through this class with my still-shaky leg control. What if I get all twisted up in my own limbs and make a fool of myself? Epic flail. And the coach won’t make it easy. She still has it in for me because I refused to go swimming, and now she’ll have the opportunity to knock me unconscious.
    She paces back and forth, the soles of her Skechers sinking into the mats with each step. “Now, for the men in the room, I want you to focus on punches. We’ll steer clear of the face for today, but feel free to hit me anywhere else—I’m wearing protection.” The few guys who snicker at the double meaning fall silent when she pins them with a death glare.
    Punches. Okay, I can handle punches. I’ll plant my feet and try a few solid punches to