My Fairy Godmonster Read Free Page A

“Hi.”
    The glass slips from my hands. I try to catch
it midair and miss. Scott grabs it before it hits the floor and
puts it in the cupboard.
    “You sure drop a lot of dishes, cowgirl.”
    I glare at him. “Don’t call me cowgirl. I
don’t ride western.”
    “Isn’t this the west, cowgirl?”
    I don’t like his arrogance. Or the sarcastic
tone in his voice. Of course, I’m not used to talking with boys.
Lonnie, the boy on the ranch next to us, only knows how to spit
wads of gum farther than his buddies. At school, I don’t think
Lonnie’s ever said anything to me except, “Get outta’ my way.”
Scott is different. He seems moody, not really interested in much
of anything around here except Kong and the horses.
    “For your information,” I answer, “I ride an
English saddle. It’s way different. There isn’t a horn to keep you
from falling off. It’s not for city slickers.”
    Scott almost smiles. I’m surprised. My heart
flip-flops.
    Dad and John wander in for some coffee.
    Scott has a funny look on his face when he
looks at my dad, kind of wistful and sad at the same time.
    Dad notices. “You spend a lot of time in the
stables, young man.”
    “Horses are cool,” replies Scott. “I was
going to learn how when …”
    He stops talking and swallows hard. “I always
wanted to learn how to ride.”
    “Winifred is our riding instructor.” Dad
smiles at me. “Keeps this place afloat.
    She’ll teach you.”
    I blush, horrified to have to spend time with
any guy. Especially Scott.
    John grabs a cup of coffee. On his way out of
the room he says, “Better teach him, Win. My brother can be a
nuisance until he gets his own way.”
    Scott glares at his brother, then glances
into my eyes and away. Some kind of buggy thing jumps up and down
in my throat. What is going on with my body? I can’t control it at
all.
    Scott shifts uncomfortably. “You don’t have
to if you don’t want to.”
    I hardly breathe when he blinks his long
eyelashes. “After chores, I’ll teach you.” The words leap out of my
mouth. I blush. And cringe inside. What am I doing?
    Jac will freak out when she hears. She’s had
boyfriends since she was six years old. She knows how to talk to
boys. It also helps that she looks like a small Spanish doll. I
look like a stick with boobs. I hate the snickers from boys at
school.
    Scott says, “I’ll help you with the
chores.”
    Dad starts out of the kitchen. “That’s very
generous of you, Scott. Teach him on Dancer, Win.”
    Not on my horse. I raised and trained Dancer.
Nobody rides him but me.
    “But, Dad.”
    “Dancer.”
    I turn to Scott, burning. “Stable chores come
first.”
    Scott says, “Sure. Can we start
tomorrow?”
    I want to smack him. Why does he look so
happy all of a sudden? My heart tap-dances in my chest. I have lost
control of everything. I hope it won’t get any worse. Boy, am I
wrong.
     
     

Chapter 5: Do Not Stop! Incoming Aliens
     
    The next day, I show Scott how to clean a
horse stall.
    “What’s shoveling manure got to do with
riding horses?” he asks.
    “If you ride a horse, you need to know how to
take care of one. Cleaning the tack comes next.”
    Scott stares into my eyes. “How come you
don’t want me to ride your horse?”
    I sigh. “Nobody’s ever been on his back, but
me.”
    “Will I be in danger?”
    I laugh. “Hardly. Dancer is a great
horse.”
    Dad appears at the stable doors. “Our company
has arrived.” He scowls. “By limousine.”
    Kong runs to Dad, wagging his tail.
    “Stay, Kong,” he says.
    Kong plops down on the ground.
    I look at Scott. “I gotta’ go.”
    He says, “I can handle the rest.”
    “Thanks.” I try to ignore the flutters in my
stomach. I join Dad and we walk toward the kitchen.
    “Did you know Claire’s family is rich?” Dad
asks.
    “David told me.”
    Dad frowns when he notices how dirty I am.
“The Dudley’s are in the living room. What will they think of
you?”
    “We live on a ranch,