The Islanders Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    â€œAnyway,” Nina said, “I stopped being a kid years ago.”
    â€œYeah? What exactly is the cutoff age for not being a kid anymore?”
    â€œEleven,” Nina said.
    Benjamin thought he detected a trace of bitterness in her tone. “Eleven? Why eleven?”
    â€œGood question,” Nina said.
    Yes, she was definitely sounding angry, or resentful . . . something. “Well, I won’t call you kid anymore. But it’s hard for me not to see you in my mind as a kid with braces.”
    â€œI got rid of the braces.”
    â€œYeah, I kind of assumed that.”
    â€œTurn here. Come on, we have a green light, curb, step down. Yes, I have very straight teeth now. I can eat corn on the cob very neatly.”
    â€œI’ll be sure to update my mental picture. Braces out, teeth in.”
    â€œStep up. Let’s blow off school and go do something fun,” Nina said suddenly.
    Benjamin laughed. “Right, Nina. Dragging me around by the elbow; that would be major fun for you.”
    â€œI think it would be.”
    â€œYou’re a sweet kid,” Benjamin said.
    â€œI’m not a kid,” Nina said.
    â€œGood morning, students. These are the morning announcements.”
    Zoey glanced up at the intercom box, then over at Aisha, two aisles away. Aisha was talking to another girl, so Zoey returned her gaze to her book. It was a paperback historical romance novel of the kind she hoped someday to write. The actual book was about two inches thick, with a lurid cover depicting the heroine, spilling her plump breasts out of her décolleté dress and clutching a nearly naked man with long blond hair. But since the entire book was too big to hide easily, Zoey had torn out a thirty-page section and concealed it inside her biology textbook.
    â€œ. . . I would appreciate any information on the person or persons who caused the third-floor boys’ bathroom toilets to overflow . . .” Mr. Hardcastle, the principal, droned on.
    Zoey heard a noise beside her and saw Claire scuttling forward from her own desk to sit in a vacant desk behind Zoey. Zoey clapped her biology text closed.
    â€œToo late, Zoey,” Claire whispered over her shoulder. “I know you’re reading one of your bodice-rippers.”
    â€œI am not,” Zoey lied automatically.
    â€œYou are such a lousy liar,” Claire said disgustedly. “You really shouldn’t try it unless you’re willing to practice a little more.”
    â€œ. . . On another topic, we have reexamined school policy and taken the matter up with the school board, and it remains the official policy of this school that no student may smoke cigarettes on school grounds. And this does, I repeat does apply to cigarettes whether or not they are lit. I hope this will put an end to . . .”
    Zoey grinned. It looked as if Nina had lost another round. She heard Claire sigh.
    â€œIs it possible to divorce your sister?” Claire muttered.
    â€œNina’s an original,” Zoey said. “You should be proud of her.”
    â€œShe’s just odd, Zoey. And you should be ashamed, reading crappy books like that. What would Ms. Rafanelli think if she knew you read that stuff? It would probably disappoint her. Disappoint her terribly, given the high opinion she has of you. Probably break her heart, thinking of her star pupil poisoning her mind with stories of virgins being despoiled by knights or whatever. I only hope she never discovers the truth.”
    Zoey turned slightly to look over her shoulder. Claire was looking carefully innocent, a sure sign she was up to something. “Oh,” Zoey said as the realization dawned on her. “You’re blackmailing me.”
    â€œDuh,” Claire said.
    â€œWhat do you want?”
    â€œI want to look over your notes on the English assignment. I didn’t get to the reading.”
    â€œ You didn’t get your homework done and now you want to