Fragile Hearts by Colleen Clay Read Free Book Online Page A

me and
they're all smiling.
    Professor Wilkes says, "Morgan, you just
passed your first speaking assignment. Now if I can have everyone's attention,
your homework is to read chapter seven which has four famous speeches, and then
select your favorite. You'll be reading portions of it aloud in class." He
makes a waving motion. "Class dismissed."
    I'm in shock. Although I've passed my assignment
without throwing up, that's not the reason for my astonishment—I actually
talked about my sister and laughed. I never do that without emotional pain.
But I related my story without anguish. I'm very surprised.
    When I arrive at my dorm, I'm still trying to
understand what happened in class. All the shrinks my parents sent me too
always said that someday I would remember good times with my sister. I'd
thought they were crazy. Why would I want to remember anything when she's dead?
    I set my backpack on my bed and start to turn my
chair around, but stop. Hesitantly, I open the nightstand drawer and reach for
the brochure at the back. Tracing my fingers over the words PARALYMPICS, I stare at the words and
then open the tri-fold to look at pictures and read the brochure.
    Every day for the remainder of the week, I read
the brochure.
    On Friday, I reach into my pocket for my cell
phone to call home. My mom answers.
    "Hi, honey," she says cheerfully.
    "Hi, Mom. There's something I want to ask
you and Dad."
    "Okay. Go for it."
    "If I were to try out for swimming in the Paralympics,
would you cover the cost of training and any fees?"
    There's silence on the other end. I bite my lip
waiting.
    Finally, in her crying voice, my mom says,
"Whatever you need, honey. We'll pay for it."
    After I hang up, I decide I'm completely loco.
Before I lose my courage, I make another call.
    "Hello, Morgan," says Tyce. "I
was just about to call you."
    "Really? I must be psychic. Wait, let me
test my abilities. You were about to call and tell me you're bringing a large Canadian
bacon and pineapple pizza to my place, right?"
    He chuckles. "You're so right on, I think
you need to write this week's psychic column in the Sunday Gazette."
    I grin into the phone. Before I respond, Tyce
says, "I'm on my way," and hangs up.
    Slipping my phone back in my pocket, I grin. Have
I got a surprise for you.

11: Training Begins
     
    Tyce arrives with our dinner. He sets the
monster pizza on my small dinette and opens the box. He glances at me and then
closes the box.
    "Hey, I'm hungry," I complain.
    "You're not eating until you tell me what's
going on. You've got a weird look on your face."
    "Tyce, open the box."
    "Morgan, no." He grins and his sexy
blues twinkle. He truly has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. I can't
hold his gaze so I look at the table. He says low, "Come on. What's going
on in that pretty head of yours?"
    I bite my lip. So far, Tyce has called me beautiful
and pretty, and I treasure those complements from him. I tilt my head to the
side and glance up from beneath my lashes. "I called my mom and asked if she
and my dad would front the expenses for me to train for the Paralympics."
    It takes Tyce a second to process what I've just
revealed, but then he grins and his mouth is just as gorgeous as his eyes. I
find myself holding my breath.
    He jumps up and lifts a fist into the air.
"Yes! That's my girl!" Before I know it, he's turned my chair away
from the table and he's leaning over me. He says, "I'm so proud of
you!"
    I can't help beaming a smile back at him.
"Hey, it's not that big of a deal–"
    My sentence is stopped when he places his lips
on mine and whispers, "Yes, it is."
    Now I seriously can't breath.
    He moves his mouth to my scarred cheek and
kisses it before stepping away. He sits back in his chair and makes a show of
opening the pizza box. I don't want to meet his gaze. I'm afraid he'll see too
much. To him, we're just friends and the kiss didn't mean anything.
    I grab my pizza and make small talk. Finally, I
look at him. He's talking about my