Phoenix: The Rising Read Free Page B

bag up and grabbed a stack of books off the top shelf.
    Julie eyed Charsey’s books. Unlike herself, Charsey didn’t have any AP classes. As a matter of fact, they didn’t have any classes together except PE, which they would be having for the first time this afternoon. She was not looking forward to it.
    Julie shrugged, hung up her book bag, and slid her books off the lower shelf. “Just a gift I have, I guess.”
    Charsey’s eyes latched on to something down the hall. “Don’t look now, Jules, but Kas Penemue is eyeing you.”
    Julie dropped her eyes to the floor as her heart began to thrum.
    “Yup, it’s official. He’s now staring at your ass, annnnd ... he’s smiling. Christ, Jules, Kas Penemue likes your ass!”
    Julie turned in the opposite direction, hugged her books to her chest, and took off. It took everything in her to keep from sprinting. Halfway down the hall, Charsey grabbed her elbow.
    “What’s the hurry?”
    Julie pulled her elbow from Charsey’s grasp.
    “I don’t want to be late for class.”
    Charsey grabbed her elbow again and pulled her into the girl’s restroom.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Two girls primping at the mirror looked their way, obviously planning on eavesdropping. Charsey turned to them.
    “Scram.”
    The girls picked up their bags and were out the door without another word.
    Charsey backed up against the door, blocking anyone else from entering. They were alone.
    “Come on, Jules, what’s wrong?”
    Julie threw her books on the sink and pulled a cigarette out of her bag, lit it, and took a drag.
    “Jesus, Jules, your hands are shaking!”
    Julie looked down at the cigarette trembling in her fingers. She took another drag, walked over to the first stall and chucked it into the john.
    “I met the Penemue brothers this morning in detention.”
    Charsey rolled her eyes. “Is that all? They’re harmless, Jules. They’re just big teddy bears that happen to play killer defense. Besides, Kas is hot. I wouldn’t mind if he looked at my ass the way he just looked at yours.”
    Julie turned to the mirror, blinked, and adjusted her right contact. Her hand was still shaking.
    “Moseman seemed afraid of them. They sat there talking and he wouldn’t even do anything about it.”
    Charsey positioned herself behind Julie and stared at her in the mirror. “Moseman wouldn’t ever do anything to upset his star football players. He just gives them a little leeway.”
    She placed her hands on Julie’s shoulders and squeezed. “When they get a little rowdy, which they tend to do before a game, they sometimes end up in detention. But it’s all just for show. It can’t appear that the school’s letting them get away with anything.”
    Julie turned to face Charsey.
    “What did they do this time?”
    Charsey shrugged, looked in the mirror, then absentmindedly lifted her right arm and sniffed her pit. Julie crinkled her nose.
    “You are so disgusting.”
    Charsey smiled and chomped her gum.
    “Why, thank you! Wanna sniff?”
    She lifted her elbow and leaned towards Julie. “Come on, Jules, it smells like watermelon!”
    Julie smiled, pushed her away, and grabbed her books off the sink. “Sounds tempting, Charse, but I think I’ll pass.” She pulled open the bathroom door just as the tardy bell for first period rang.
    Crap . This was not going to be a good day.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    Julie glided noiselessly into the first open seat she found in her American Lit class. It didn’t matter that it was designed for the left-handed, it was a seat—and Julie had snuck in without Mr. Fredricks noticing she was late. He seemed to have his attention focused on guzzling a can of Diet Pepsi he kept hidden inside the door of his classroom storage closet. By the time he emerged and grabbed a dry-erase marker, Julie had her book opened to page thirteen and was poised to take notes.
    Mr. Fredricks turned to the class and smiled.
    “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!”
    Drops of soda