The Fire and the Veil (Veronica Barry Book 2) by Sophia Martin Read Free Book Online Page A

you’re missing. This one time, Chris took me to Mikuni—” Melanie stopped. “No. I will not be sidetracked. Back to the date.”
    “Anyway, after dinner Daniel asked if I wanted to come back to his place to see these new fish he got.”
    “So in other words, you agreed to go to his apartment,” Melanie said. She put the pancakes onto the stack she was building on a serving plate and added more batter to the pan.
    “Well, yeah. You already know how this story ends.”
    “I want the juicy details, V, and you’d better hurry because Angie will be down any minute now.”
    “I don’t know, Mel. I was all awkward geekiness, and Daniel could tell I was nervous, so he got me a glass of water and we sat and talked on his couch, and the next thing I knew we were kissing, and one thing led to another…” Veronica’s voice trailed off as she heard Angie’s steps on the stairs.
    “So how was it?” Melanie asked in a whisper.
    “It was great,” Veronica whispered back. “But then in the morning, I felt all weird again. I don’t know what my problem is, and it’s not fair to Daniel. He must be wondering what in the world I’m doing.”
    “We’ll talk more in a bit,” Melanie whispered. Then she brought her voice up to normal volume. “There’s the sleepy head.”
    Angie entered, still braiding her long, dark blonde hair so it hung down the front of her left shoulder. She had her mother’s pretty blue eyes. “Mom, it’s only ten,” she said.
    “And so chipper already,” Mel countered.
    Angie wrinkled her nose at her, but came and gave Veronica a hug. “Hi, teach.”
    “Morning, Angie,” Veronica answered. She smiled at her.
    Melanie finished making the last two pancakes and brought the plate over to the table. Everyone helped themselves, passing syrup and butter.
    “So, Ange, how’s French class?” Melanie asked.
    “It’s too weird talking about it with Veronica here,” Angie said.
    “Well, I hear you and your dialogue partner were chatting up a storm,” Melanie said. She spread butter on her pancakes.
    “Clarissa? Yeah, I guess,” Angie said, pouring syrup.
    “She’s a cheerleader, isn’t she?” Melanie asked.
    “What? No. Where do you get your information, Mom?”
    “From me,” Veronica said. “Mel, you’re thinking of Alicia Hall. She was Angie’s partner the week before last.” She took the butter dish from Melanie.
    “You’re keeping tabs on my French partners?” Angie demanded.
    “Ange, don’t be like that, I just want to know how you’re doing at your new school, and you never tell me anything—”
    “So, Mel, given any thought to what we talked about on Friday?” Veronica interrupted.
    “What?” Melanie said, frowning.
    “You know, about how you might go back to school.”
    “ You ? Go back to school?” Angie said, setting her fork down.
    “Are you expressing disbelief, honey?” Melanie asked innocently.
    “It’s just you’re… old.”
    “Oh my god,” Melanie said, raising her eyes to heaven. Veronica focused on buttering her pancakes as evenly as possible. So much for that subject change.
    “Why would you want to go back to school anyway?” Angie asked. “I can’t wait to get out.”
    “Yeah, don’t worry about it, okay? It’s not going to happen,” Melanie said.
    “Why not?” Veronica asked, setting down her knife. “I think it’s a great idea.”
    “Go to school for what?” Angie asked.
    “Your mom was thinking about getting her degree as a paralegal,” Veronica said.
    Angie took this in, then shrugged and cut a piece of pancake. “Well, you are always saying you do Denise’s job for her most of the time.”
    “See?” Veronica said to Melanie.
    Melanie rolled her eyes. “I just don’t think it’s practical. I need to be home for Angie.”
    “Mom, I’m going to be sixteen,” Angie said, her fork frozen halfway to her plate.
    “In four months,” Melanie said.
    “Yeah, that’s less than half a year. I babysit other