The Candidates Read Online Free PDF Page A

pretend at Delcroix.”
    His voice dropped, and even though he couldn’t have planned it, his words traveled straight to my heart. Not have to pretend? What would that even feel like?
    “You can just be yourself, Dancia. Wouldn’t that be amazing?”
    Something about Cam’s voice was hypnotic. The restaurant, Patty, even the cheesy music faded away. I closed my eyes for a second and imagined walking down the hall of a new school, people passing by and saying hello, friends waiting for me as I got to class. I swallowed hard as tears pricked the backs of my eyes.
    When my eyes opened, Cam was studying me. His forehead wrinkled a little, like he was concerned. “I know it sounds strange,” he said softly, “but you aren’t the only one who feels that way.”
    How did he know what I was thinking?
    I waved my hand and struggled to sound nonchalant. “Actually, my middle school was fine. Really. I mean, there’s all the usual stuff with the geeks and the cool kids, but in general, everyone gets along.”
    “Of course.” He nodded and picked up the menu. The magic string connecting us snapped and dissolved. “So what’s good here?”
    “You’ve really never eaten at Bev’s?” I couldn’t hide my surprise. “Didn’t you say you started at Delcroix two years ago?”
    He looked a little embarrassed. “I stay pretty busy at school.”
    I thought about what Patty had said, how the people from Delcroix never came down here, and I realized with a start that before Cam, I’d never met any kids from there. Sure, we made up stories about them, but we’d never actually talked to one. Which made them seem odd, all of a sudden, or maybe just snooty. But not Cam. Cam would never be snooty. I could tell.
    “Oh, I didn’t mean anything by it,” I said. “I just thought everyone in Danville ate here. They have really good hamburgers and fries. But stay away from the clam chowder.”
    He grinned. “Thanks for the tip.”
    When I got home two hours later, I marched straight up to Grandma and scowled.
    She didn’t even close her magazine. “How was lunch?”
    “Great,” I snapped. Amazing. Incredible. And I was now completely in love with a guy I’d probably never speak to again.
    “What did you and Cameron talk about?”
    “Nothing. School. Delcroix.”
    Everything. We talked about soccer and how the girls’ team needed a new forward. We talked about the cool electives Delcroix offered, like popular music, poetry, and independent study, where you could make up your own class. He told me about his dad, how he missed him during the school year but how fun it was to live on campus. I played it cool, pretended like I had lots of friends I’d be leaving behind, but I had the feeling he knew the truth. He wasn’t mean about it. He was … sweet. Caring. Understanding. He told me about amazing things they did, like getting to visit Cape Canaveral. One of the space shuttle pilots had gone to Delcroix, and does a tour for the advanced astronomy classes. Not to mention all the musicians who do guest lectures there. Not just classical musicians, either. Cool people. People I’d heard of.
    “And did you make a decision?”
    I set my jaw. “I’ll go to Delcroix, but if I don’t like it by Christmas break, I’m transferring back to Danville High.”
    She flipped through a few more pages. “That sounds lovely, dear. An excellent plan.”
    “Aren’t you going to say anything else?” I snapped. “Like, I told you so?”
    “Why would I do something like that?” Grandma said, closing the magazine. “Now, what should we have for dinner?”
    I stomped off to my room, thoroughly annoyed by the knowledge that, as usual, Grandma had gotten exactly what she wanted.

C H A P T E R 5
    I WOKE early the next morning after a night of very little sleep, and stumbled into the bathroom. Through puffy eyes I took in my usual attractive early-morning hairdo—half frizz, half ringlets—and a crease across my cheek from my lumpy