Assumptions Read Online Free Page B

pulled her
backpack to her hip and unzipped a pocket. She slid out a small
mirror. Holding it above and to the side, she smoothed a loose
strand of hair into the tidy knot at the back of her head.
    She tucked the mirror away, leaned the
backpack to the opposite side, and dug out a crumpled hot pink
sticky note. She pressed the note against her thigh, ironing it
flat with her fingers. Have a great first day! Sorry I couldn’t
see you off. Happy Birthday, my Sweet Sixteen! See you at dinner.
Love you, Pumpkin - Dad.
    She smiled a sideways smile then returned the
note to her backpack. She knelt to re-tie the laces of her oxfords,
savoring a last few minutes of anonymity.
    The school bell buzzed a cranky first
warning. The girl popped up and flung her backpack over her
shoulder. She brushed a stray bit of fuzz from her stiff navy
blazer, adjusted the pleats in her gray plaid skirt, and jogged up
a couple of steps to the door. Her shoes tapped against the
well-worn limestone. She inhaled, preparing herself to pass through
the thin barrier separating her from what waited for her on the
other side.
    She reached for the door. It swung out fast,
just missing her outstretched hand.
    “You must be Jordyn!” gleefully shouted a
chunky girl with short, over-highlighted hair. “I’m Cooper Lawson,
Year Ten Representative." She stood in the open doorway, straight
and tall as she could, her chest puffed out as if she had rehearsed
in front of a mirror more than twice. “Funny name, I know. I’m
pretty sure Mom and Dad wanted a boy. Oh, well.” She let out a
laugh that sounded nearly as unnatural as her introduction.
    “Come in, come in,” she added,
enthusiastically shoving her chubby, pink hand toward Jordyn. A
dozen other students, more boys than girls, watched the abrupt
introduction with zealous interest.
    A woman with a frilly coral colored scarf at
her neck poked her head out of a nearby office. “On your way now,”
she chided, sending the gawkers down the corridor craning for a
glimpse of Eastview’s newest.
    An athletic boy wearing an “Eastview
Football” pin on his lapel lagged behind. He smiled in Jordyn’s
direction and walked toward her. She looked over her shoulder
hoping to see someone else.
    “Hi. I’m Logan Harris.” He offered his
hand.
    Jordyn jerked her head forward, quickly
crossing her arms behind herself, fiddling with the zippers on her
backpack. Logan dropped his hand.
    “Hi,” Jordyn responded curtly, looking past
him toward the office door.
    Logan persisted. “Don’t pay any attention to
them. They’re just curious.”
    “About my dad, I know. M.L. Quig, my golden
ticket."
    “Can you blame them?”
    “Guess not.”
    “Wow, your eyes are nice,” he said.
    Jordyn’s hand shot up to her face. She
scratched her forehead then let her hand fall casually. “You say
that to all the girls.”
    “That sounded really bad, didn’t it?”
    “Um, yeah. It really did."
    “I meant they’re so mocha-y, uh, -ish, uh,
brown . . . uh . . . sorry.”
    “Maybe you should quit while you’re
ahead.”
    “Yeah. I should.” The first period bell
buzzed. “Saved by the bell.”
    “Very funny. I think it's me who's
saved."
    “I gotta get to class. Maybe I’ll see you
around?” He offered his hand again. “I’m Logan.”
    Jordyn took his hand. “Nice to meet you,
Logan.”
    “Miss Quig,” interrupted the woman from the
office, “please, come with me. We need to assign you a locker and
get your class schedule.”
    “See you,” said Logan. He turned and jogged
away.
    “Miss Quig, please step into the office for a
minute while I get your schedule." The woman held the door wide
open, tapping her index finger on the knob.
    The second bell buzzed. A dark-haired boy
rushed down the corridor, clumsily peeling off his backpack and
coat as he skidded around the far corner.
    The woman frowned in his direction. "Late and
out of uniform again."
    Jordyn entered the office. She followed the
woman to the