Free Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer Page B

I’ve hidden.” Beneath the script his father had written Yours in Eternity . Vlad blinked back tears at the familiar phrase. For as long as he could remember, that was how his father had signed every birthday card, every letter, every book inscription to him. Yours in Eternity . His father was speaking to him from the grave.
    He read the note over again and curled up on his side, again tracing with his fingertip the words his father had written. His eyelids fluttered closed, and Vlad fell into the deepest sleep he’d had in three years.

9
    SNOW AND ASHES
    T HE GYM WAS DECORATED with several hundred silver and white balloons and enough streamers to wrap around the entire planet twice. Shiny aluminum-foil stars hung from the ceiling. A large white banner draped over the DJ’s booth proclaimed in swirling blue script that the students were indeed at Bathory Junior High’s Annual Snow Ball. Vlad was leaning up against the wall near the punch bowl, watching two girls giggle excitedly to his left. Henry punched him lightly in the arm. “You could at least be nice to her. I mean, she’s not Meredith, but she is your date. Besides, she’s pretty cute.”
    But Vlad didn’t want to be nice to Carrie Anderson. He wanted to be nice to Meredith, whom he hadn’t seen since winter break. She was currently laughing at something witty that Tom Gaiber had just said. Vlad raised his head up and thumped it against the wall. “I should’ve stayed home.”
    Carrie leaned over to Kelly Anbrock, and both girls erupted in another fit of giggles. Henry smiled at Kelly and she blushed. “Hey, Kelly, you wanna dance?”
    â€œSure.” They moved onto the dance floor. Kelly draped her arms around Henry’s neck and they turned in slow circles together. On their second turn, Henry gestured to Carrie with his eyes.
    Vlad glanced at Meredith, whom Tom was clutching too close for Vlad’s comfort. “Carrie—”
    â€œI’d love to!” Carrie dragged him onto the dance floor. She flung her arms around him, and Vlad suddenly remembered what Henry had told him when he’d arranged their dates for the evening. Carrie was a great kisser.
    But he didn’t reflect long enough to explore how Henry had come by this information.
    Vlad placed his hands on her waist and shifted his feet back and forth until they were turning just slightly. He hated dancing. And he didn’t especially want to kiss Carrie, but it was better than not having a date at all. Besides, it wasn’t like Carrie was a troll or anything. She had sparkling green eyes and curly red hair. Henry was right—she was pretty cute.
    Tom was laughing so loud that everyone in the gym turned their heads to see what was so funny. Vlad turned his head to look at the far end of the gym behind him, where Tom was looking, but there wasn’t anything particularly humorous there—unless you counted the horrific tissue flowers the dance committee had taped to the wall in the shape of a snow-flake. But that was more scary and ridiculous than funny. Vlad turned his head back to Tom, and his heart sank.
    Tom was pointing directly at him.
    â€œHey, goth boy, how much did you have to pay Carrie to dance with you?” Bill was snickering along with Tom. To Vlad’s immense surprise, Carrie giggled and pulled away. A few stragglers near Tom and Bill chuckled openly.
    But Meredith wasn’t laughing anymore.
    Vlad straightened his shoulders and gave a sly smile to Tom. “Not a dime. I just offered her tickets to your next ballet recital.”
    The crowd went silent. Music poured from the DJ’s speakers—a heavy bass line that echoed into the gym. Vlad looked at Henry, whose jaw had almost literally hit the floor. Tom’s face had turned purple, and Vlad could count the number of veins popping out of his forehead.
    Three.
    Probably the same number of seconds Vlad had to live once Tom got