Henchgirl (Dakota Kekoa Book 1) by Rita Stradling Read Free Book Online Page B

the class. Honua stuck her head forward, wrinkled her brow, and looked on the verge of laughter.
    I signed, “How many people know about the Club.”
    She glanced around and pulled one hand under her desk, with her fingers, she spelled out, “J-U-S-T M-E.”
    I quickly followed with, “Who told you?”
    “M-Y B-R-O-T-H-E-R.”
    Brother? What? How could I not know Honua had a brother? Now that I thought about it, I knew absolutely nothing about Honua’s family.
    A blonde woman with glasses stuck her head out, obviously the teacher, and said “Can I help you?”
    “Thanks, no.” I said, walking away before she could write me up or something. As long as the world wasn’t about to crash down any more than it already had today, I could wait for my answers.

Chapter Four
     
    “Guess who Auli tried to set me up with after you ran out at lunch?” Mele said as we walked among the fleeing hordes of students toward her little blue car. She lifted her lighter, a fake-gem encrusted monstrosity, to her obligatory after school cigarette; two sparks ignited and died before a small flame appeared. She inhaled slowly, obviously not going to just answer what I assumed was a rhetorical question.
    “Who?” I supplied.
    “Keanu.” she said, smoke pouring out of her smile. “Supposedly we’re perfect for each other; though oddly enough when I was in eighth grade and bat-shit crazy over him, I wasn’t good enough for him, hmmm.”
    “What did you tell her?” I asked, for an instant worrying that I would have to compete with the only best friend I’ve ever had, over a boy. I did not think I could do it, even if it was a job.
    “I told her that you can’t stop love. I don’t think it made her very happy, she pretty much packed up and left after that. So, I figured out why she hates you so much,” she said, pausing by her car.
    Swinging my head to look at the back of the lot, I found the minivan. How did Glacier always get that spot? I turned back to Mele and said, “Wow, don’t worry about sugar-coating it or anything…”
    “I won’t. You’re welcome. Yeah, I’m pretty sure the only reason she would want me to be with her brother, as opposed to you, is because I’m more Mabiian than you are. Her dad is all into that shit, you know?”
    Possibly, it never occurred to me, Auli was always talking about her lineage and how she was a direct descendant from the Mabiian royalty, before the Mabi island chain was annexed by New Anglo. Looking at Keanu, I could believe that the Hale’s had some royal blood.
    But yet, that explanation did not quite fit. She’s never shown any derision towards the twins, and they were one-hundred percent blonde hair, blue eyed, Anglo-descendants.
    Even though Mele was entirely Mabiian, I appeared just as Mabiian as she did. We both had brownish-black hair, a dark tan complexion and a distinctly Mabiian tilt to our eyes. Also, the last name I chose for myself after my father died, Kekoa, was my grandmother’s last name and completely Mabiian. Furthermore, I had never told Auli that I was only one-quarter Mabiian, so how would she know?
    I backed up to show Glacier that I was coming and I said, “I always assumed that she’s just rabid from malnutrition. The girl needs to eat a hamburger. Love you, have to run.”
    I did not run. My philosophy being that unless a person is in clothes specifically designed for running, or there’s a big boar chasing them, they’ll look ridiculous doing it. But I walked briskly, pretending not to see the hands that waved at me or hear Missy yell my name as I rushed to jump in beside the stoic part-dragon in his minivan.
    “I know, I know,” I rushed to say. “Please don’t tell me, I should have been prompt and ready. Okay. But, eighty percent of my day was so terrible and nothing you can say could make me feel worse.”
    My fingers shook with anticipation as I unlatched the little metal clip to my charm and slid the bracelet off stuffing it into my