And It Arose from the Deepest Black (John Black Book 2) Read Online Free

And It Arose from the Deepest Black (John Black Book 2)
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that walk, because it wasn’t meant to be memorable. Just ordinary . In fact, the one thing that I do recall was people — neighbors, friends — simply waving to us. “Hello!” Like nothing had ever happened.
     
    It was totally normal.
     
    Which is why it was so unusual.
     
    * * *
     
    By Sunday night, there had been no strange cars parked on our street for two full days. Something had changed, and we were all enjoying it. Even Holly said to me, during one of our mental conversations, I’m happy it’s quiet now. I didn’t like the noise. Or the lights.
     
    I know, Hol.
     
    I imagine it’s the same for most anyone who becomes accidentally famous. One day, you’re living your boring life. The next, you can’t get the photographers to leave you alone. And the day after that, no one cares if you run naked through the front yard.
     
    Well, Miss Janice next door might care. Check that. She would definitely frown on me streaking through the neighborhood. Anyway, you get my point. I think everyone suddenly thrust into the public eye is just as surprised when it all disappears as they are that it happened in the first place.
     
    But by Monday, Bobby and I were heading to school, and almost reveling in the fact that no one cared.
     
    Bus 73 picked us up at the corner of my street and drove us to Arthur Avalon High School. The bus was always crowded and hot in the early fall, when temperatures could sometimes still be in the high 80s or low 90s.
     
    I had come from Thomas Edison Middle, where there was never a shortage of Thomas Edison–related puns and jokes — if there was a teacher who could flick on the lights without proclaiming himself or herself the inventor of the light bulb, I never had the pleasure of being in their class. So it was a little odd to go to a school named after someone I’d never heard of before. Who was Arthur Avalon, namesake of our school, emblazoned on every football/baseball/basketball/soccer/softball/volleyball/hackeysack/horseshoes jersey, and the subject of every cheerleader’s rallying cry? I have no idea. Sports star? Politician? Arborist? Let’s go with arborist. Arthur Avalon, world-famous arborist. Sure. He could arbor the heck out of things. A fine man, he.
     
    Have you ever played the game where you and your friends try to decide what superpower you would want if you could have one? Well, I had real superpowers, and yet there were still more I desperately wanted. The power to overcome acne. The power to talk to girls without breaking out in a sweat. Those would have been great add-ons. Come on, alien thorns in my cells. Help me out here.
     
    Alas, it didn’t work that way. That Monday, Bus 73 had no sooner appeared than it was squealing to a stop at our corner. The driver, Mrs. Worchart, swung open the (also) squealing door for us to climb aboard. Mrs. Worchart was a very nice lady, always chipper both morning and afternoon, giving every kid a hearty “Hello!” or “Good morning!” She was also rather large, so inevitably her bus became known as the War Cart, a tired play on her name.
     
    We stepped up into the War Cart, and entered the fray of high school noise and mayhem. And who should I bump — literally — into? Carrie McGregor. She was sitting in the front row but turned around to talk to a girlfriend, so one of her knees was in the aisle. My knee touched Carrie McGregor’s knee. I was dumbstruck.
     
    “Oh, hi, John,” she said, tucking a curl of red hair behind one ear and batting her eyelashes at me. Okay, that’s a lie. She probably just blinked. But as I’ve said before, any movement of her eyelashes even moderately directed toward me caused heart palpitations.
     
    “Carrie. Hey.” A witty retort, no? Then Bobby pushed me in the back.
     
    “Come on, stud. Seats open in the back.” He gave a knowing smile, which was about the least subtle thing ever. Carrie looked away, but I think her cheeks had turned a little red. Ever since the time I had
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