Ungifted Read Online Free PDF

love at first sight?”
    “You met someone?” Ethan asked. He could have at least tried to hide his shock.
    Cynthia nodded enthusiastically. “And you never called me back!” she said to me. “So, spill. Right now!”
    Ethan looked inexplicably curious, but at least he had the tact to bow out of the conversation. Once he was back in his own seat, Cynthia settled into the desk next to mine ready for the story. “Start with what he looked like,” she insisted.
    I glanced back at Ethan. He’d pulled out a book, not paying the least bit of attention to us. Still, knowing he had heard me from across the room last night, I lowered my voice to barely a whisper. “Actually…” I looked down at my cast and began to start a different drawing. One of Andrew with fangs and a cape. “He looked like a vampire.”
    It was okay to say this because Cynthia already knew that underneath my girl-next-door-politician’s-daughter exterior I’m a hardcore geek. She’s actually the one who got me into all the fantasy stuff. She’s always recommending me books, and she’s obsessed with Jensen Ackles, so Thursday nights are Supernatural nights. Always. Watching those Winchester boys fight monsters every week has become a ritual even my dad wouldn’t dare interrupt.
    “A vampire, huh?” Cynthia wrinkled her nose. Like me, she’s much more a fan of werewolves than vampires.
    “Yeah, you know—somewhere between Greek god and underwear model. Dark, almost-black hair; pale, almost-white skin; liquid-gold eyes, and a definite danger vibe. I kept waiting for Sam and Dean to roll up in the Impala and cut his head off.”
    “I can’t believe I missed this. So he came up to talk to you? What did he say? Did he ask you out? What’s his name?”
    “His name was Andrew, and yes, he asked me out, but he was way too intense for me.”
    Cynthia gasped. “Wait, you can’t mean Andrew De La Cote?”
    I don’t know what was more shocking: that Cynthia knew who I was talking about or that she shot a worried glance to Ethan. A glance he returned sharply.
    I tried not to panic, but this reaction was definitely not comforting after how much the guy had creeped me out the night before. “You know him?” I asked.
    “What did he say to you?” Cynthia demanded.
    I jumped, startled. “I—he said he was fascinated by me. That I was different than anyone he’d ever met.”
    “Different how?”
    Cynthia glanced to Ethan again, and I shot her a questioning look that she ignored. “Different how?” she barked again.
    “I don’t know.” I glanced back and forth between Cynthia and Ethan. Whatever point I was missing, they both got it. “We didn’t really get a chance to discuss it. He said he wanted to get to know me better and asked if we could go somewhere more private.”
    “Gracie, you didn’t!” Cynthia shouted.
    “Of course not!” I wanted to be offended, but Cynthia was too upset at the moment and it was freaking me out.
    “Are you sure?” Cynthia asked. “You didn’t go anywhere with him? Did you kiss him? Do you remember the whole night? Tell me exactly what happened.”
    “Cyn, what’s wrong? Of course I’m sure. I had to leave with my dad, remember? And besides, I wouldn’t just make out with a complete stranger.”
    Cynthia made a visible effort to calm down. “No, I know you wouldn’t. I’m sorry. It’s just—you were right about him being trouble. He has a really bad reputation.”
    “I can see why,” I said, shivering at the memory. “He was all over me at first, and when I freaked out he backed off and apologized for being so forward.”
    Cynthia froze, completely puzzled, and shared yet another meaningful look with Ethan, who seemed just as confused. He joined us at my desk again. “You refused Andrew De La Cote’s advances?” he asked in complete disbelief.
    And here I thought I couldn’t be any more humiliated in front of Ethan. “Of course I did. I’m not that kind of girl.” I wished it had