ODDILY Read Online Free Page A

by concealing her face in the cup while she sipped at the beverage, but an unintentional tear escaped down her cheek. The boy spotted her teardrop and with one quick motion, caught the tear with his fingertip.
    “ I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to cry.”
    Oddily would have loved to imprint the magical sound of his voice in her memory, but her embarrassment was beyond words. She tried to bury her face even further into the tiny cup hoping the steam from the warm liquid would conceal the other tears.
    Maxim! The beautiful girl had re-entered the room, her harsh tone filled his head with warning.
    The brows of the strange boy knotted together in response and without warning, he took the cup from Oddily before she could finish. Oddily thought the boy was about to do something to her and with a jolt, realized he might have already done it! What if he had poisoned her? Suppose the sweet tasting drink he had given her would momentarily end her tortured life. Maybe this became the fate of those missing people who supposedly disappeared after entering the forbidden grounds. She tried to calm down, but panic took over, and she started to plead for her life.
    “ Please don’t kill me,” she cried out in terror. “I swear, I’ll never step foot on your land again!”
    The features of the boy’s perfect face became distorted as though her words had caused him inner turmoil. Silently, he reached up and rested his hand on her head, caressing her mop of hair while his distressed eyes bore into hers.
    Why is he deliberately touching me now? What is he doing? Her mind became incoherent, loosing her train of thought. Where am I? That became the last thing she had thought before familiar voices sounded in her ear.
    “ Oh my God,” Starla’s voice shrieked. “What happened to you?”
    Oddily tried to focus on the image of Starla getting out of her blue Mini Cooper, along with Kendall and another girl she didn’t know. Kip pulled up close behind, his red Chevy truck screeching to a stop. Kip, Paul, and Paul’s friend Jeff jumped out and stared at her as she continued to lean against the gate in a dazed stupor.
    “ I don’t know!” Oddily noticed her voice sounding far away—detached.
    “ Did you get it?” Starla impatiently stood too close for comfort.
    “ Get what?” Oddily gave her a blank stare.
    “ A photo of the Manor, you moron!”
    “ I don’t understand what you’re talking about. The last thing I remember is walking home from school, and…here I am.”
    “ What’s wrong with you?” Starla stepped away from her. “You’re starting to freak me out!”
    Oddily stood still, unresponsive as she tried to comprehend what was happening. It felt like there were holes in her memory. All she could do was gaze at Starla while she put her hands on her hips. It was a gesture she did when someone annoyed her.
    “ Are you saying you don’t remember going down that path into the woods?” Starla used her chin to point beyond the gate, “or the picture you promised to take of the Manor for me?”
    “ No—I’m sorry.”
    “ She’s a fake!” Kendall joined in on the conversation, flicking her dark brown ponytail from side to side as though she were a horse shooing at flies. “She’s pretending to have amnesia, so she won’t have to go back inside the grounds. Kip’s right—she’s a chicken!”
    Oddily continued to stare at Kendall’s swishing ponytail. For some reason, she became amused by it. Her tossing head reminded her of someone with an uncontrollable twitch, and suddenly, she had an urge to laugh. She did.
    “ Duh,” Kendall made a silly face at her. “What’s so funny?”
    “ Your ponytail,” Oddily continued to giggle.
    “ Stop laughing!” Starla shouted.
    Oddily grew quiet, cringing from her outburst.
    “ Okay, I’m done with this!” Starla started to freak out. “I need my camera, and I want it back right now. Where’s your backpack?”
    Oddily reached for her bag she typically had