Mackenzie Blue Read Online Free PDF Page A

front tooth.
    â€œHi, I’m Marcus.” Behind his black glasses, his eyes lit up as he spoke. “I’m having a welcome-to-Brookdale party. I’ll textyou the information if you give me your cell phone number.”
    â€œI have to check,” Chloe said. “I just got a phone, and I don’t know the number yet.”
    Kathi made a miraculous recovery from her stunned condition. “You just got a cell phone?” she exclaimed. “Where’d you move from? The last century?”
    â€œNot hardly,” Chloe said with a friendly smile. “Atlanta, Georgia.”
    Marcus unwrapped his sandwich, then held half up to Chloe. “Want some?” he asked. “It’s tuna fish.”
    â€œNo, thanks,” Chloe said. “I’m a vegetarian.”
    Kathi forced an incredibly loud laugh, then looked around as if she expected everyone to join her. Of course, Jen followed her lead, but no one else did.
    â€œWhat’s up with that?” Kathi asked.
    â€œI don’t eat meat.”
    â€œI know that. Why not?”
    Chloe shrugged. “I guess ’cause I just don’t want to.”
    Zee thought Kathi’s head might explode when Landon said, “Cool. I’ve been thinking about becoming a vegetarian, too.”
    Kathi shook her head so furiously you could hear her earrings jingle. “Oh, you don’t want to do that,” she told him. The fury in Kathi’s eyes looked like it would burn a hole throughChloe. “It’ll make you look small…and kind of…sick.”
    â€œWell, I’ve always looked this way,” Chloe said. “But I just became a vegetarian last year. And I love animals, so it was sort of natural for me.”
    â€œWhat ev ,” Kathi said, defeated.
    Whoa. This girl knew exactly how to get to Kathi.
    For the rest of lunch, Kathi was quiet. She practically didn’t speak again until the other seventh graders began comparing schedules. Zee, Jasper, Chloe, Landon, Marcus, Jen, and Kathi all had seventh-grade science—Introduction to the Environment—together right after lunch.
    â€œI’m sure we’re going to get another fat book for that class,”Zee said. She lifted her heavy bag onto her shoulder. “I guess I should make some room in here. I gotta go to my locker.”
    â€œI’ll go with you,” Chloe volunteered.
    Jasper looked from Kathi to Jen, then stood up. “Me, too,” he said. Zee guessed Marcus and Landon weren’t enough protection against the girls for Jasper.
    As the three of them crossed the noisy cafeteria, Zee dropped her water bottle in the plastic recycling bin. Then she waved to Adam, who smiled back.
    â€œIs that your boyfriend?” Chloe asked.
    Shocked, Zee stumbled. “No way,” she said. “He’s my brother.”

    â€œOh,” Chloe said, biting her lower lip and glancing back at Adam.
    Â 
    Zee entered the science room and glanced around. It didn’t look like any of her other classrooms. Instead of separate desks arranged in rows, high tables were spaced evenly throughout the room. Each one had a sink in the middle and two tall chairs behind it.
    Ms. Merriweather, the science teacher, looked up and smiled. “Welcome. Just take a seat anywhere.” Zee grabbed the closest chair, and Jasper climbed into the chair next to her as Chloe sat on the other side.
    About halfway into the period, Ms. Merriweather began matching lab partners. Because her life was perfect, Kathi was with Landon. Zee and Jen were together. Zee wasn’t thrilled, but since Jen had actually been nice to her in French class, she figured it would be okay.
    Ms. Merriweather paired Chloe with Jasper. Zee was happy that they didn’t have to sit with kids they didn’t know.
    Then their teacher began explaining the big project every set of lab partners would do. “Brookdale Academy is a LEED-certified school,” she began.