Chasing Hope Read Online Free Page B

and quite thick, not a particularly useful tool. The second one, which looked to be a mailbox key perhaps, was much thinner and sharper. The perfect weapon. Brandy scanned the parking lot, making certain that they were alone.
    That’s when she saw movement coming from the next row over. A woman was walking down the middle of the lot, heading their way. Brandy pocketed the keys, waiting for her to stop at her own car, but the young woman kept drawing closer. She wore aviator-style sunglasses and a pink baseball cap pulled low, a black ponytail bobbing out the back. She continued to move toward them until Brandy and Janie both ducked behind the convertible to avoid being seen. Peeking over the car door, Brandy saw the girl stop at a blue Prius not ten yards away, then turn and look over her shoulder as if sensing she was being watched.
    “What’s she doing here?” Brandy whispered and dropped back down below the car door.
    In a few seconds, the Prius pulled out of its spot, the hum of the tires on the pavement the only clue that it was in motion before it disappeared.
    “Coast is clear.” Janie stood up and stretched. “You know that girl?”
    “Unfortunately.” Brandy would waste no other words discussing that stuck-up piece of work. Life was too short.
    “All right, then. Are you ready to do some cus-tom-izing?” Janie dragged the word out, making each syllable deep and gravelly, as if she were the baddest girl in town. If she was so bad, then why was she prepared to stand by, hip cocked like she was something, and let Brandy do all the work and take all the risks?
    “Changed my mind.” Brandy started toward the school.
    “Wait, what? I thought you were gonna . . . you know . . . What’s the matter?”
    Brandy turned. “I changed my mind, I told you. Isn’t a person allowed to do that around here? You want it done so badly, do it yourself.” She pulled the keys from her pocket and flung them several car lengths back, in the general direction of the red car.
    “Hey, why’d you go and do that?”
    The bell rang, announcing five minutes until the next class. Brandy sauntered toward the building, not giving Janie a second look. It was time that girl learned to do something on her own.
    Inside, Brandy stopped at her locker and got out her math notebook, supposing she should at least make it appear that she was serious about her studies. Ha.
    When she walked into the classroom, she passed a group of girls huddled at the back of the class. They all seemed to be chattering at once. “Did Bradley ask you to the dance yet?” “Are y’all going to eat at ChaCha’s before or should we meet at Langmo’s?” Ah yes, the school dance was this weekend. What a bunch of losers.
    Brandy took her seat in the far back corner just as the bell rang. The girls slowly broke up their conversation, but they were still giggling and whispering as they made their way toward the front.
    Mrs. Panneke walked over and took a seat on a tall stool beside the projector. “All right everyone, open your books to chapter 3. Today we’re going to talk about—”
    “Mrs. Panneke?” One of the student assistants from the office stood at the door, a piece of paper in her hand. “Coach Thompson asked me to get this to you right away.” She walked in and delivered the note, then disappeared out the door.
    Mrs. Panneke looked up. “Brandy? Coach Thompson would like to see you in his classroom immediately after this period.”
    Brandy could practically hear the heads whipping around toface her. She knew what they were all thinking, and for once, she was wondering the same thing. What had she done now?

    “Brandy, come in, have a seat.” Coach Thompson motioned to the desk closest to his own. He didn’t exactly smile, but he didn’t look mad, either. Perhaps he’d seen them smoking and this was going to be one of those “smoking is bad for you” talks. No problem. Adult blather was easy enough to tune out.
    She took a seat,