The Bad Wolf Read Online Free PDF

pulled Ryan’s chair out for the new girl.
    Travis grinned at Ryan as he passed then returned his attention to the nervous girl. “Come on, I saved you a seat.”
    Ryan wondered if this show was for his benefit. Did they think he gave a damn about what they did or to whom they did it?
    He moved to the next table over, pulled out an empty chair and dropped into it. The two boys sitting at the table stopped talking. They both stared at him for a moment then went back to drawing on scraps of paper. They usually spent the entire class doodling dragons or robots. Half naked barbarian women adorned their notebooks and book covers. The proportions were exaggerated, but otherwise they were pretty cool.
    “So I hear you’re only fifteen,” Travis said to Chloe.
    Kelly laughed. “She looks twelve.”
    Ryan tried not to pay attention to their conversation, but found it was all he could focus on.
    “Only for a few more days,” she answered then brushed the stray bangs out of her face.
    Travis offered a friendly smile and said, “I was having a really bad day yesterday. I think we got off to a bad start. Want to start over?”
    He didn’t hear Chloe’s reply.
    Gary, at least he thought that was his name, looked up from the dragon woman he was drawing. “Why aren’t you sitting with them?”
    Allan looked up with a worried and somewhat expectant look on his round face. He pushed his glasses back up his nose. “Yeah, you could take the chair over there.”
    Ryan scowled and b oth boys seemed to shrink away. He didn’t owe them, or anyone for that matter, an explanation.
    After a few seconds Allan said, “You pushed me into a locker at the first of the year. I would’ve been locked in there for hours if the janitor hadn’t come by.”
    Ryan shrugged, not really caring. So he’d been a total dick to someone … what else was new?
    A little braver now, Gary said, “You do seem a little more laid back now. I don’t mind telling you that I was scared of you before.”
    Allan nudged his friend then whispered, “I heard they all got into a fi ght and Ryan kicked their butts.”
    The hint of a smile lifted the corner of Ryan’s mouth . That wasn’t too far from the truth. He didn’t bother to explain it though, let them believe what they wanted. He didn’t care. Besides, the story made him sound like a badass.
    Ms. Adams asked everyone to get out the papier-mâché masks they’d been working on. Pots of sticky paste were already on the tables, along with torn newspaper paints and other art medium. Posters depicting Venetian masks were taped to the walls to offer inspiration. Some students fashioned crude imitations, but his was totally different. He’d created a dark feathered mask with intricate beading. Honestly he had no use for it, but knew Jenna would love the black and purple craft. She’d hang it in her bedroom with all the other weird clutter.
    Suddenly Chloe squealed in terror then jumped from her seat. The chair fell over and the back of her thighs bumped against Ryan’s table and sent art supplies crashing to the floor. The pack laughed uproariously and pointed at the girl as she clawed at her hair and shirt. Travis was the only one looking his way. The expression on his face dared Ryan to do something about it.
    Oh he wanted to do something, but it wasn’t for Chloe’s sake. He didn’t care that the girl was being picked on. That’s what the first families in Hunde did. No one wanted the outsiders though they continued to flock to the small town. Before long, it would be overrun with people from the surrounding areas and would no longer be a haven for those who’d lived here their entire life. It meant the same for people like himself, those who’d come for refuge.
    The pack continued to point and laugh at Chloe who looked close to tears now.
    The urge to leap over the table and pound Travis into mush was so strong, Ryan almost couldn’t ignore it. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.
    Ms.