Snowed in Together by Ann Herrick Read Free Book Online

here, but any snow at all was unusual.
    The tension must've been contagious, because suddenly Cari squeaked, "What if we're stuck here for days? I mean, how long can people go without food?" Her eyes widened. Her tiny hands shook.
    Out of the corner of my eye I noticed some movement. It was Jeff, making his way in a trance-like state toward Cari. He looked right at her. "D-don't worry," he said. "You … you can have my share of the food."
    Crud! Jeff was coming to Cari's rescue. What was I doing? Standing around, doing nothing, that's what. Absolutely nothing.
    I glanced at Ellyce. She quickly looked away. She must've thought I was a doofus. A total doofus.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Six
     
    Luckily, the light dawned. "We won't starve," I said.
    "Why's that?" Jeff asked.
    "The kitchen," I said. "I mean, okay, so it's cafeteria food. But at least we eat."
    "Yeah," Tony said. "We could break into the kitchen easy."
    "Well … we thought about that," Ms. Tenray said. She exchanged worried looks with Korman. "But the food deliveries are on Mondays. There's probably nothing there."
    "There must be something," I said. "We can at least check it out." I guess looking out for Dad and me since Mom left must've made me forceful when it came to my own survival.
    "I'm with Wes," Ellyce said.
    I'm with Wes … I'm with Wes … My heart gave a little thump.
    "Yeah!" The others shouted in unison. "The kitchen!"
    "Well …." Ms. Tenray pursed her full lips. "I guess we could investigate." She looked at Mr. Korman. "Don't you think?"
    "All right," Korman agreed reluctantly. "But only if we can get into the kitchen without doing any damage."
    I smothered a laugh. We could starve, but we couldn't damage part of the school. "I think Mr. Glenn would forgive us," I said. I mean, I didn't have a reserve of fat to draw on, and I was not about to sacrifice my life for a door.
    As we headed for the cafeteria, I noticed Tiffany nibbling on one of the chocolate bars. "Hey! Put that away!" I commanded. "We might need that later."
    "Sorry …." Tiffany blushed as she slipped the candy bar back into her tote bag. "I wasn't thinking."
    Weird. Yesterday I hadn't ever said one word to Tiffany. Suddenly I was telling her what to do. This was not the natural order of things.
    "Ack!" Just before we reached the kitchen, Cari pointed down the hall to an outside door. "It looks worse than ever."
    She was right. The snow was so thick, you'd think someone had hung a sheet across the door.
    I knew for sure we just had to find some food in the kitchen. I jiggled the doorknob. Locked. But, except for the office, the inside doors were as old as the building, and I was pretty sure the locks were not what you'd call sturdy. "Hey, Tiffany. Do you have something thin and sharp in that tote bag?"
    "I'll look." Tiffany set her bag on the floor and stared to search.
    It was funny how quickly I'd adapted to talking to Tiffany. Maybe it was because I didn't have the entire school as an audience. Too bad Tony was so interested in her, 'cause suddenly I could picture myself having a more than satisfactory relationship with her, physically anyway.
    Now, deep down I wanted more. I wanted love and commitment and all that stuff that guys never talk about. I knew Ellyce was the girl I could really get serious about in that way.
    But I could hardly get up the nerve to look at Ellyce. And there was Tiffany, her round, fully-packed body jiggling so nicely as she hunted through her tote bag. She just looked so … so inviting.
    "Look what I found in my bag!" Ellyce said suddenly. Her green eyes sparkled as she pressed a safety pin into my hand.
    All thoughts of a relationship with Tiffany, physical or otherwise, suddenly blipped off the computer screen of my imagination. An electric current surged from Ellyce's fingers to the palm of my hand, up my arm and straight to my heart. I felt myself blush all over. My breathing got slow and heavy.
    "I hope it'll work," Ellyce said. A thoughtful