Under My Skin by Judith Graves Read Free Book Online Page B

Wade. Apparently to Brit, friendship meant running my life. No, thank you.
    She grabbed my arm as I turned away. “Look, I know I screwed up, but I can explain.” She pressed her lips together, then sighed impatiently. “But you have to hang with me for more than five seconds, or the whole let-me-spill-my-guts thing doesn’t work. Besides, I had no idea you were a hunter yesterday. I was only trying to nix your interest in Alec before you got hurt.” She crossed her arms. “You can’t tell me you haven’t been creative with the truth a time or two. All hunters lie.”
    She had a point. I’d lied so much in my lifetime, it was hard to believe anyone ever told the truth. I would have done the same thing in her place, protected a friend from certain heartache—a clueless human girl with no paranormal knowledge would get chewed up and spit out by a hunter.
    “You talk, I’ll eat,” I said finally. But I couldn’t stomach the thought of the bologna sandwich Sammi had stuffed in my backpack. My uncle’s wife pseudo-parented a tad too hard, first with overdecorating my room and then with making my lunches like I was six. Besides, wilted lettuce never did appeal. For the last week I’d been hanging out in the library at lunch, munching on a granola bar. My way of avoiding a lonely table in the cafeteria while the whole school watched me eat. “How’s the cafeteria food? I haven’t tried it yet.”
    Brit studied me. “I think you’re ready.”
    “For what?”
    “Clogged arteries.” She started down the hall, her heavy boots clunking loudly enough for an entire military parade. “We better go together. I can point out the least toxic items on the menu. But first there’s something important you’ve got to see. I think it will put last night into perspective for you.”
    As we rounded the corner, a skinny blonde slammed into Brit knocking her against the wall.
    “Sorry,” the girl tossed over her shoulder, barely breaking stride.
    Brit pushed away from the locker she’d crashed into. Strands of her straight black hair, charged with static, floated around her head. With her flying hair, goth clothes, and super-pale foundation, Brit had a kind of Bride of Frankenstein look going on. But I suppose the real Bride of Franky was probably taller.
    I fought back a grin.
    “You okay?” I scooped up her backpack, surprised at the weight. She must have crammed every textbook for the whole year inside.
    “Yeah.” She glowered down the hallway. “There goes your new boyfriend’s usual type. Wade likes them blonde, brainless, and with boobs out to here.” She held her hands at a physically impossible distance from her chest, then glanced at the front of my shirt and shrugged.
    I resisted the urge to roll my shoulders back and stick out my chest. Not that it would make much difference. I’d even put in extra effort this morning and worn a padded bra to fill out Paige’s hand-me-down shirt. Regrettably, the bra slipped around because I had nothing to hold it in place. I’d definitely gotten shafted in the boobage department.
    Brit led me down the hall and paused at a six-foot-high trophy cabinet outside the gymnasium. Sports trophies, banners, and photos decorated the glass shelving. She pointed to a section featuring Redgrave’s community hockey league.
    “Here are the guys from our school who made the town team.” Brit pointed to a group shot of guys in hockey gear. They stood in a rink, helmets at their hips, their hair mussed and smiles wide. “Recognize anyone?”
    I stepped closer to the glass to scan the faces. I gestured to a familiar face in the middle. “There’s Wade.” Oh, he looked amazing in all that extra shoulder padding.
    Brit rolled her eyes. “Anyone else?”
    I slid my finger along the glass and studied each face. At the last one, my finger stopped. “That’s the guy from last night. Ethan.” How happy he looked in that photo. How cute and cool. How dead he’d looked on the pet shop