Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin Read Free Book Online Page A

them back to us. So much for easy. I got a C. Well, this sucked.
    On the way out of class, I stopped by Mr. Johnson’s desk. “Is there anything I can do to get extra points?”
    He looked confused. “But you passed.”
    â€œHow was it today?” my mom asked when she picked me up from school.
    â€œI don’t know—maybe a little better?” Because of Neal I was loath to tell her how much the day had sucked. “We could give it another week before we make any rash decisions about me transferring. At least in the regular classes I can push myself extra hard. Maybe I’ll get straight A’s for once.”
    My brother was absorbed in doing homework—otherwise, I’m sure he would have scoffed at this.
    Mom’s cell phone beeped. It was Dad. He was at Smith College, where he’d just finished a reading of Lily at Dusk . Mom handed me the phone.
    â€œHow’s it going?” he asked. “How do you like Shady Grove?”
    â€œOkay.” To change the subject from my education, I said, “It’s really pretty out here. The air feels extra fresh.”
    He was not to be sidetracked. “You might want to consider adding an all-women’s school to your list of prospective colleges. These girls are very articulate. Smith might be out of your league, but there are some less competitive women’s colleges with similar prestige.”
    â€œI’m sure there are,” I said. “But where are the boys?”
    He laughed like he thought I was intentionally being hilarious. “You’re not going to have time for boys next year.”
    I gave the phone back to Mom.
    â€œWhere are you staying tonight?” she asked Dad. There was a pause. Her mouth got tight. Then, “You’re going to New York?” More pause. She was gripping the steering wheel like she wanted to break it. “I see,” she finally said. “Well. We’ll talk about this when you get home.” She snapped the phone shut.
    â€œEverything okay?” I asked. We were at a stop sign now.
    â€œIt’s just that—” She studied me for a moment. I had this sense that she was seeing me in a new light, as someone more adult, someone she could maybe trust. Then, with a weak smile, she said, “It’s just that your father’s writing career is proving to be a big adjustment.”
    As I stayed up late working on my Language Arts essay—the one we were supposed to be writing about the scariest thing that had ever happened to us—my mind kept drifting off to what Mom had said about Dad. There was no denying the fact that success was changing him and also changing the dynamics of their relationship. I wondered if Mom was jealous of how well he was doing.
    I also thought about my dad because the scariest thing that had ever happened to me had happened when I was with him. Back when we lived in Florida, back when Dad was simply a would-be author and had more time for us, he would occasionally take James Henry and me on these Sunday outings to give Mom a break. Though he wasn’t a natural at it, he liked the idea of being an outdoorsman.
    This one time he decided he wanted us to try crabbing.
    I got carsick on the drive out to the Apalachicola Reserve, and when we finally got there I was too queasy to help set up the nets. “Why don’t you go for a swim?” my dad suggested. “It might help.”
    The water, coffee brown and gathering dust, was not exactly inviting. The air was hot, though, at least ninety degrees, and it wasn’t even noon. The sky was a glaring shade of white.
    I dipped a toe in dubiously. “Is it safe?”
    â€œCharlotte! You can’t be so afraid of everything.”
    Just to prove that I wasn’t a wimp, I jackknifed into the bay, making a huge splash—a fearless splash. The water was bathtub tepid and failed to cool me, but still it was wonderful to be buoyant. I kicked out a good