I Am Number Four Read Online Free

it ever since, just changing his last name to match mine.
    “Off I go to rule the school,” I say.
    “Be good.”
    I walk towards the building. As is the case with most high schools, there are crowds of kids hanging around outside. They’re divided into their cliques, the jocks and the cheerleaders, the band kids carrying instruments, the brains in their glasses with their textbooks and BlackBerries, the stoners off to one side, oblivious to everyone else. One kid, gangly with thick glasses, stands alone. He’s wearing a black NASA T-shirt and jeans, and can’t weigh more than a hundred pounds. He has a handheld telescope and is scanning the sky, which is mostly obscured by clouds. I notice a girl taking pictures, moving easily from one group to the next. She’s shockingly beautiful with straight blond hair past her shoulders, ivory skin, high cheekbones, and soft blue eyes. Everyone seems to know her and says hello to her, and no one objects to her taking their picture.
    She sees me, smiles and waves. I wonder why and turn to see if someone is behind me. There are, twokids discussing math homework, but no one else. I turn back around. The girl walks towards me, smiling. I’ve never seen a girl so good-looking, much less spoken to one, and I’ve definitely never had one wave and smile as if we’re friends. I’m immediately nervous, and start blushing. But I’m also suspicious, as I’ve been trained to be. As she nears me, she lifts the camera and starts snapping pictures. I raise my hands to block my face. She lowers the camera and smiles.
    “Don’t be shy.”
    “I’m not. Just trying to protect your lens. My face might break it.”
    She laughs. “With that scowl it might. Try smiling.”
    I smile, slightly. I’m so nervous I feel like I’m going to explode. I can feel my neck burning, my hands getting warm.
    “That’s not a real smile,” she says, teasingly. “A smile involves showing your teeth.”
    I smile broadly and she takes pictures. I usually don’t allow anyone to take my picture. If it ended up on the internet, or in a newspaper, it would make finding me much easier. The two times it happened, Henri was furious, got hold of the pictures, and destroyed them. If he knew I was doing this now, I’d be in huge trouble. I can’t help it, though—this girl is so pretty and so charming. As she’s taking my picture, a dog comes running up to me. It’s a beagle with tan floppy ears, whitelegs and chest, a slender black body. He’s thin and dirty as if he’s been living on his own. He rubs against my leg, whines, tries to get my attention. The girl thinks it’s cute and has me kneel down so she can take a picture of me with the dog. As soon as she starts snapping shots, he backs away. Whenever she tries again, he moves farther away. She finally gives up and shoots a few more of me. The dog sits about thirty feet away watching us.
    “Do you know that dog?” she asks.
    “Never seen him before.”
    “He sure likes you. You’re John, right?”
    She holds out her hand.
    “Yeah.” I say. “How’d you know?”
    “I’m Sarah Hart. My mother is your real-estate agent. She told me you’d probably be starting school today, and I should look out for you. You’re the only new kid to show up today.”
    I laugh. “Yeah, I met your mom. She was nice.”
    “You gonna shake my hand?”
    She’s still holding her hand out. I smile and take it, and it is literally one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.
    “Wow,” she says.
    “What?”
    “Your hand feels hot. Really hot, like you have a fever or something.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    She lets go.
    “Maybe you’re just warm-blooded.”
    “Yeah, maybe.”
    A bell rings in the distance and Sarah tells me that it’s the warning bell. We have five minutes to get to class. We say good-bye and I watch her walk away. A moment later, something hits the back of my elbow. I turn and a group of football players, all wearing letterman jackets, sweep