Rua (Rua, book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

boy?”
    “I’m not ready to talk about him just yet. He’s too new.”
    “Fair enough.”
    They chose a spot at the end of a table. She was still new enough people openly stared at her as she went about her day.
    She glanced around the room that somehow contained all of the students. Her eyes came to rest on Rylan. He sat next to Jennifer. She’d pushed her sleeves up and unbuttoned the top button on her cardigan, but Rylan wasn’t watching her. He watched Celeste.
    Her head pounded in pain when their eyes locked. She kept her gaze focused on him, determined to ignore the pain and stay conscious. Rylan looked down at his plate, rubbed his temple then looked back up at her. The pain throbbed, but faded with each heartbeat.
    He stared, and she stared, neither one of them willing to stop.
    Tink interrupted her thoughts. “What are you doing? He’s sitting with megabitch, not you. Don’t look at him.”
    She turned away from Rylan. “He was staring at me, wasn’t he?”
    “Um, yeah. Stalker style. I’m starting to dislike the boy, even though he is pretty.”
    She took a bigger than necessary bite of her pizza. She couldn’t tell Tink she’d gotten headaches from Rylan…sometimes.
    She managed to get through the rest of day without anymore pain-inducing glimpses of the newest school couple. When the final bell rang, she stopped off at her locker to dump her books then rushed towards the exit with her head down.
    She practically charged through the doors and ran into Tink, hard.
    “Ow, mini-me. What the hell?” he said.
    “Sorry.”
    “Shush! Do you hear that?” he asked.
    She stopped, listened, and did hear it. Squawks and calls filling the air.
    “What is that?” she asked.
    “Look around you!”
    The parking lot was full of students, as usual, but they weren’t getting in their cars. They were frozen in place, sunglasses on, staring at the sky.
    She looked up, already knowing what she’d find. Every single tree, power line, and rooftop in sight was covered with crows. Their sounds filled the air.
    “This reminds me of,” — Tink paused, tapping his forehead with his finger — “you know, that one with all the birds, old-school movie?”
    “I have to go.” Her throat was dry, and she had to force the words out.
    She walked as fast as she could. When she reached the edge of the parking lot, she ran. None of the kids were paying attention to her anyways.
    She ran out of the parking lot, away from Tink, and away from the strange black birds.
     

Chapter 5
    She slowed to a walk when she came to her street. She pulled down one of her shirt sleeves and used it to wipe the tears off her face. She knew without looking up the stupid birds were in the trees lining the street, probably all the way to her house.
    “Celeste, wait!”
    It was Rylan, starting down the same road she was on.
    She kept walking. She didn’t want to talk to him, but he was next to her in an instant.
    “Hey,” he said. “I need to talk to you.”
    “How’d you do that?”
    He used his fingers to push his hair off his forehead. “Do what?”
    “One second you’re behind me, like way behind me, the next you’re here.” She hugged herself and stepped away from him. It was defensive, but she was awkward and stupid around him.
    He leaned in. “You really don’t know?”
    “Know what? Isn’t Jennifer waiting for you?” The instant the words left her lips, she wanted to take them back. She had no right to be jealous, and she didn’t like that she was.
    He took a step back. “I’ve heard your parents are black. Is that true?”
    “Excuse me?” He looked shocked, but she pressed on. “Why the hell are you asking me that?”
    “Are you adopted, Celeste? Please, it’s important.” He stood in front of her in his slim jeans, tousled hair, and green-eyed glory. It wasn’t fair he was still freakin’ hot even when he was a jerk.
    “Yes, I’m adopted. My parents happen to be black.”
    “Oh. I was worried about