Damselfly Read Online Free Page A

pulling her close, then easing up, then pulling her toward him again. But he was an immovable object, firmly friendly and unaffected by her advances. He didn’t flirt back the way I’d seen other guys respond.
    Goldilocks must have realized her mating display wasn’t getting her anywhere, so she and her friend stood with little waves of farewell. He smiled but didn’t get up.
    Then he turned his head and caught me staring at him.
    I have never averted my eyes so quickly in all my life. Unfortunately, I also averted my neck in the real world and gave myself a horrible cramp. After massaging the resulting knot for a few painful moments, I worked up the courage to look at him again.
    He was hiding his mouth behind his hand, laughter in his eyes. He had totally seen my contortionist impression.
    Then he stood up. I’m used to people towering over me, but I couldn’t help noticing how tall he was, even with my adjusted height.
    He breached the space between us far too quickly for comfort. I needed time to figure out what do with him, how to meet those eyes without blushing. But there he was, standing in my space, looking at me. Looking at me .
    A grin spread across his face, easy as breathing. I didn’t want to look too eager. Then again, I didn’t want to turn him off either. I certainly didn’t want him to go away.
    “Hi,” he said. White teeth, crinkling eyes. “You must be Thumbelina.”
    The words wrapped around my throat, choking me. How did he know? “What?”
    “Thumbelina1847? I really thought I’d guessed it right.”
    “Oh. Oh .” I held the relief from my face as much as possible. “How did you figure it out?”
    “Well, let’s see here. You don’t look like an ‘aragornnn20’ or a ‘woodchuckman’ or a ‘nosteroids.’ Shall I continue?”
    “So which one are you?”
    “I’m Jack.”
    “Jacknostalk?”
    “That’s me.”
    “Kinda creepy name.”
    “Yeah. I didn’t realize it until it was too late to change it. I should have made it ‘beanstalk’ instead. Do you mind if I park my chair here?”
    “I guess. Since you left your stalk at home.” Oh, me of little wit.
    I slid down along the wall and stared at the floor as he scraped his chair into place.
    “I’ve seen you in here before,” he said. How come I’d never noticed him? “You always stay by the wall with this look on your face like you’re thinking really hard about something.”
    “Oh.” What could I say to that?
    “So where are you from?” he asked.
    “Um.” I decided to tell the truth. “Denmark.”
    “Really? I don’t think I’ve met anyone from there before. Where is that exactly?”
    “Northern Europe, right on top of Germany.”
    “Oh, okay. You speak English really well.”
    “Thanks. I mean, it’s my first language. One of my moms is American.”
    He raised his eyebrow. “Two moms? That’s cool.”
    I blurted out a nervous laugh. “No. Not that. I mean, I have step-parents. How about you?”
    “No step-parents here. Not anymore, anyway. Just a mom.”
    “Oh, I’m sorry.”
    He shook his head, his dark hair scattering from his forehead. “My dad died years ago in the civil war. I live in South Dakota now. On a reservation.”
    “I’m so sorry.”
    “The reservation isn’t that bad.”
    I threw my head back and laughed. My nervousness evaporated when I saw the delighted look on his face.
    Jack leaned forward in his chair, his eyes locked on mine. I held my breath and returned his gaze. It was easier than I thought.
    “So, Thumbelina, do you have a name?”
    “Lina.”
    “How old are you?”
    Shoot, what if he thought I was too young? “I’m almost fifteen. You?”
    “Sixteen. When’s your birthday?”
    “In two days.”
    There was that gorgeous smile again. “Happy birthday. Any big plans?”
    “I really hope not.” Visions of a Dr.-Christiansen-orchestrated-debacle paraded through my mind.
    “Not much of a party animal, are you?”
    “No,” I said a little too defensively.