Free On Raven's Wings by Isobel Lucas

Chapter One
     
    "Hey, check it out! It's the Virgin Mary!"
    I dipped my chin, refusing to look at any of the kids who were snickering at me. My first day in public school at Hills of Bradford High and already I was an outcast. My Catholic school reputation obviously preceded me. If my dad’s company hadn’t cut his salary by twenty percent and my mom’s realtor business hadn’t crashed, I’d still be among the quiet, hallowed halls of St. Lucy’s instead of this riotous bedlam only two months after school started.
    An arm slung around my shoulder, guiding me to the side of the hallway. My best friend, Triniti, went to HBHS. Over the summer, I replied to a flyer she’d put on lampposts downtown. She wanted someone to play drums in her band, Devastation. I applied and within days we were best friends.
    Triniti was willowy, beautiful, and quite simply hot. I was the exact opposite: short, dumpy, and forgettable. The Virgin Mary comment wasn't far off, but they didn't need to know that.
    "Ignore them. By the end of the night, they'll all know your face and they'll all love you."
    "You said no one would come to our first gig."
    Triniti twirled a finger in a lock of hair. I didn't buy the innocent act for a second.
    "Why did you lie to me?"
    "I didn't exactly lie, love. I just thought it might calm your nerves a bit."
    "It isn't doing much good now that I know. The whole school won't be there, right?"
    Triniti patted me on the head. "Not the whole school. I don't think the teachers will show up."
    I sighed inside and mentally rolled my eyes. Catholic school had taught me discipline over my emotions. The teachers didn't strike the students for misbehaving anymore, but they knew who acted up and who didn't. My mental defiance was good enough for me. Like the nuns, I didn't think Triniti would appreciate it if I dissed her. Besides, she was the only friend I had at HBHS. I didn't want to screw that up.
    "So have you checked out any of the guys here yet? They're all dying to get with the new girl. It wouldn't take much to lose the Virgin Mary nickname."
    "Can't you just tell everyone my stage name? If they know me as Raven, the Virgin Mary thing will disappear, right?"
    "No, love, it'll take only one bragging guy besmirching your chastity to get rid of that nickname." Triniti spun the combo on her locker like a pro. "Besides, I think half of them suspect you're already a raging nympho. The whole Catholic schoolgirl thing is really sexy."
    I glanced down at my baggy ripped jeans and neon hoodie. Somehow I didn't think anyone would mistake me for a sexpot.
    "Which guys will take advantage of me?"
    Triniti wiggled an eyebrow at me. "Oooh, so you can find them and get rid of that nickname right away?"
    Another mental eye roll. "No, so I can avoid them."
    Triniti sighed. "Once I point them out to you, you'll be dying to unbutton their flies. Trust me. We have some scorching guys in this school."
    The crowd in the hallway slowly parted. Like a scene in a bad teen movie, a group of guys sauntered down the hall in a reverse phalanx, with the tallest, most muscular, hottest teen boy I'd ever seen leading the group.
    "That's Ian," Triniti sighed in my ear. "Lose your virginity to him and everyone within his text network will know in minutes. They'll probably even get a video of it."
    "Have you been with him?"
    "Oh, God, no. He's a total ass. Besides, I only go for college boys. They're better lovers."
    I thought about asking how many guys she'd been with to justify that statement, but I didn't want to know. Not really. Well, maybe a little, but I held my tongue anyway. I'd find out later.
    "He looks like a god.” I immediately regretted saying it. He was hotter than any god in all the religious texts I'd studied over the years.
    "He thinks he's one too," Triniti said, her voice laced with disgust. "Seriously. Avoid him."
    Ian and his groupies passed by us, and I couldn't help but stare at his ass, popping up and down with his legs. I