Free The Lance Temptation by Brenda Maxfield Page A

a bit of a pushover for frozen students. And you do look frozen, Emili. Do you want to come in and help me with some chores? Perhaps correct a paper or two?”
    â€œNo thanks. I’m waiting for someone. I’ll be fine.”
    â€œAll righty then. At least I offered.” She waved and went inside.
    I hoisted myself onto the brick railing above the steps. The scratchy cold zapped through my legs, making me suck in my breath. At least I was next to the wall so the wind couldn’t get me as easily. From my perch, I could get a good look at anyone arriving.
    I kept vigil as the crowd increased. We didn’t have any busses at Bates, so everyone drove, walked, or was dropped off. The traffic was getting busy, but still no sign of Farah. I watched students I hardly knew pass me. I saw eleventh grader Callie Something-or-other walk by. She barely ate enough to stay alive. Everyone talked about her all the time. Her cheeks were sunken in and even with a coat on, she could be mistaken for a stick. She appeared to be a walking ice sculpture. I watched her climb the steps and felt unbearably sad. I thought about my own issues and realized hers were literally life and death. Our eyes met for a brief second. Glancing at me, her gaze became hard and brittle.
    â€œHey, Callie,” I said. She didn’t answer.
    Then I heard all the noise and there was Farah getting out of her mom’s SUV, surrounded by five — yes, five — guys.
    She was smiling and tossing her fiery hair behind her shoulders. “I was sick,” I heard her say. Then she cracked up laughing.
    I slipped down from the wall, careful not to scratch my skin off. There she was, guffawing and joking as if nothing had happened. And what had happened?
    She smoothed her hand down her waist and hips then, and her eye caught mine.
    â€œWell, Emili Jones, how are you?” she asked, starting up the stairs. Her face was unusually animated. She glided forward, looking healthy, rested.
    I couldn’t answer her. Part of me wanted to slump to the concrete in relief. The other part of me wanted to shake her silly.
    â€œGuys, guys.” She laughed again, fluttering her hand behind at her following. “I’ll see you all later.” She wasn’t looking at them, and they wandered ahead of her toward the door.
    â€œWhere’ve you been?” The words shot out of my mouth.
    â€œIt’s nice to see you, too,” she answered smoothly.
    â€œSeriously, Farah, where were you?”
    â€œAround.”
    â€œAround? Around? I thought you agreed to text me if you went disappearing again.”
    â€œI don’t know what all the fuss is about. I’m back aren’t I? Safe and sound. You sound like my mother.” She started toward the door then called over her shoulder, “Coming?”
    I was so stunned I couldn’t move. The anger started small, right inside the center of my chest. Then it blossomed and grew until it closed my throat. All the fuss? Was she flipping kidding ?
    â€œSuit yourself,” she said, continuing inside.
    The warning bell rang. I put one foot in front of the other while I tried to swallow the rage in my throat. School was starting. Who in the world cared about stupid stupid Farah?
    ****
    Lance caught me between second and third period. He pulled me to a stop and seemed almost giddy. “Farah’s back,” he said. “You never told me.”
    I frowned.
    â€œWhy didn’t you?” he asked.
    â€œIt would’ve been hard to tell you since I didn’t know it myself until this morning. I don’t know any more about it than you.”
    â€œWhoa — chill. No worries, right?”
    â€œRight.” I shook my arm loose and headed toward the girls’ bathroom.
    â€œYou okay, Cecily?” he called after me.
    â€œPeachy.” I ducked into the bathroom. I was in no mood to stand there, chatting happily about Farah.
    I rounded the corner and