Fighting Read Online Free PDF Page B

soured a bit with nerves.  He
approached a half-closed door and knocked before striding in. 
    "Hey
Murphy, sorry I'm late but I found the new kid," he said, hooking his
thumb over his shoulder pointing at me.
    We
entered the room and the voices immediately hushed.  My eyes skimmed over their
faces, taking in details and landing on Oliver as he spoke again.
    "Everyone,
this is Alex.  She's the new kid Brooks was talking about.  Alex, this is
August," he said, pointing to a smiling, young, blonde haired girl who
looked a bit like a future model.  "She's fifteen."  He switched
focus to a guy closer to my age who flicked his chin up in acknowledgement.  He
had blond hair that was messy but not neglected.  "That's Spencer.  He's
seventeen."  He motioned to the teacher who looked to be approaching
thirty, and said, "That's Ryan Murphy, but we just call him Murphy."
    "Hi,
Alex," Murphy said.  "Since you've graduated high school, you're not
required to take the general education classes, but you can if you want
to."
    I
nodded and gave a non-committed, "Maybe."  Then I thought better of
it, because I may not have been the biggest optimist around, but I had already
decided to give the place a fair chance, and I was really going to try and put
forth an effort.  "But if I don't and you need someone to help demonstrate
something, I'll be your dummy," I volunteered breezily.
    Murphy's
eyes lit, and he said, "That would be great!  I'll keep you in mind,"
he said. 
    "I'll
be right back, I'm almost finished giving her the tour," Oliver said.
    Murphy
nodded and I gave a polite but detached smile in the direction of the students,
only making eye contact with Spencer.  August was already looking back down at
her textbook. 
    Oliver
took us down to the first floor and into the kitchen area.  I scanned the room
and few people that were inside, taking it in all at once.  The room was fairly
large.  Half of it was dedicated to a full and spacious kitchen with lots of
knick knacks and utensils sitting around.  It was a modern combination of
stainless steel and marble countertops, and everything else was warm toned
wooden cabinets.  There was a beautiful woman busying herself with cleaning up
the mess left over from lunch.  She had skin the color of cocoa and long,
flowing hair cascading down her back.  The other half of the room, the half I
was standing in, had two tables with benches on each side that had enough room
to fit four people comfortably.  Only one table was occupied and it was filled
with three adults.  Brooks, not surprisingly, was one of them.
    "Alex,"
Brooks said, drawing the attention of the other people in the room.  They stood
up and walked over to meet us, including the woman at the counter.  "This
is Ben, the security technician, and Ross, the other physical trainer."  I
shook their hands and looked to the woman.  "And this is Gwen, the
chef."
    "Nice
to meet you," I said.
    They
nodded at me and Gwen asked, "Have you eaten anything?"
    "Actually,
I haven't but you don't have to make me anything.  And I'm not starving.  Do
you have something I could just munch on?" I asked.
    "Feel
free to roam the cabinets," she said.
    "I'm
going to be tied up for the rest of the day with these two, but you're not
starting anything until tomorrow so wander around, get to know the place,"
Brooks suggested.
    "Sure,"
I said easily. 
    Oliver
and I went to the cabinets and both grabbed something quick to eat.  He went
back to his class and I took my time wandering the halls.  As I'd met everyone
already, and there were basically only two rooms on this floor, I went up to
the last floor and remembered that there was one more person I had yet to
meet. 
    I
exited the stairwell to discover the floor was divided into two large rooms.  I
went to the left first and found the gym.  There were a few treadmills, weight
machines and other items you would typically find in a gym.  I backtracked and
went to the right.  There was