Spectral Read Online Free PDF Page A

ringlet as Jack came up to us and hoisted her into the air.
    “Hey, babe,” he said as he kissed her cheek and placed her back on her feet. I was happy for the diversion from my fashion sense—or lack thereof.
    When we entered the classroom, my heart skipped a beat. The dark haired boy from the day before was sitting at a desk near the window. Taylor and Jack found three empty seats together, and we sat down—directly beside the new guy. I kept my eyes on my desk in front of me. Somebody had carved Jessica n Mason with a heart around it into the wood. I let my eyes linger there. I had bigger things on my mind than a boy, I reminded myself.
    Señor Sullivan entered the room and leaned against his desk facing us. “ Hola, estudiantes ,” he said, and then flashed a bright set of teeth.
    “ Hola, Señor Sullivan ,” the class answered in unison—except, of course, for me and mysterious boy, from what I could tell. My eyes flicked from my desk to Señor Sullivan. My palms prickled in sweat, nervous about our seating arrangement.
    “ Hoy vamos a aprender sobre el amor ,” the teacher said with a smile.
    I understood that to mean, “Today we will learn about love.” The class laughed. I couldn’t help but glance at the dark haired boy. His gaze stayed glued to some papers on his desk and his dark brown hair covered most of his left eye. But it was his lips that drew me in. They looked so soft and as if on cue he moistened them with his tongue and then turned and busted me looking. He cast a devilish grin. You’re lame, Jewel. I averted my eyes back at my desk, and ran my finger over the carved engraving.
    The teacher kept speaking in Spanish until it became a blur of words and sweat prickled the back of my neck. Images floated in my mind like a carousel spinning. The dark haired boy crouched in front of me, his hand on the nape of my neck, pulling me forward with a teasing look until our lips were a hairsbreadth away.
    “Kiss me,” he begged as he traced my lips with the tip of his finger. He leaned down and placed his lips on mine, searching, the taste of peppermint tickling my tongue. I tried to pull away and he nibbled my lip gently.
    “True?” I heard Mr. Sullivan say. The roar of the class laughing filled my ears. I lifted my head from my desk where I’d fallen asleep and shook my head, bringing me back to reality. My cheeks flushed and I pressed my fingertips to my lower lip. I looked at the dark haired boy and his lips twisted into a grin.
    “Um…sorry, Mr. Sullivan. I—ah had a rough night. Is it okay if I go get a drink of water?”
    More laughter from the class. “That’s enough, kids,” he said raising the palm of his hand out. “Sure, True, but hurry back.”
    I kept my head down as I headed toward the door of the classroom and Olivia, who sat close to the door, coughed into her hand and said, “Loser.” Again, laughter filled the classroom, followed by a scolding from Mr. Sullivan. I glanced up to see Chase sitting a couple seats behind Olivia shaking his head. I began to think moving wouldn’t be such a bad idea after all.
    I walked down the hallway to the water fountain and took a long drink, splashing water on my face, hoping it would give me a jolt. I straightened up and wiped my hands on my jeans, willing myself to go back to class and face whatever humiliation lay ahead.
    As I turned, I bumped into the dark haired boy.
    “Hey there,” he said.
    “Are you following me?” I asked, startled.
    “Sorta. If you count being thirsty as following you,” he said with humor showing in his eyes. His voice sounded almost lyrical, a slight accent lilting his words, but I couldn’t make out where he could be from.
    I stepped out of the way and he bent over to take a drink.
    “Are you the new guy my friend mentioned?”
    He turned and extended his hand to me. “Roman Matteo.”
    I shook it. “I’m True.”
    “So I heard,” he said with a grin.
    “Yeah, that, ” my cheeks grew hot and I