The Elementalist Read Online Free Page A

smiled sheepishly, wondering if Claire would ever really say that. I’d never been a good actress, and lies seemed to plaster themselves to my forehead, screaming out their untruth.
    “Scared?” she asked. “You were scared down in the basement?”
    “It is kind of freaky down there.”
    “Freaky?”
    Why did she keep repeating everything I said? I couldn’t help but feel a moment of panic. I wasn’t doing this right. She knew something was wrong. She knew I wasn’t Claire!
    “Oh, honey. You haven’t been scared of that basement for years. You spend all day down there. What happened?”
    Before I could answer, the phone rang and I was saved. Could I get another hallelujah! Claire’s mom sighed and went to answer it, and I took that moment to escape outside. Closing my eyes, I inhaled. It felt so good to have oxygen fill my lungs. I loved the feel of my chest rising and falling with each breath, so I stood there breathing, just to experience it over and over again. I could do this all day.
    The sun shined, and for the first time in a very long time, I was able to feel it. Really feel it. The heat warmed me and instinctively, I knew if I sat there long enough, I’d get sunburned. I needed sunscreen. Turning back to the house, I wondered where Claire kept it . I didn’t want to rummage through every room, because that wouldn’t look suspicious, would it?
    “Claire?” the woman said from the front door.
    “Yeah?” I turned, a lazy, sun-kissed sensation filling my whole body. It felt so good to have a body! I couldn’t say it enough.
    “What are you doing?” She held a dish towel in her hands, wiping her fingers.
    “Um…”
    “You better put on some sunscreen or you’ll burn.”
    “Right,” I answered. “Now where did I put it?”
    “Isn’t it in your purse?”
    I nodded slowly. “Yeah. It is.” Heading back to Claire’s room, I found a smallish, brown leather purse hanging from her bedpost. The expensive sunscreen was tucked inside—specially formulated for sensitive skin. Nice. I dotted the precious cream onto my face and rubbed it in gently, relishing the feel of the moisturizer. How quickly it soaked up, and how soft my skin felt. Again, I sat there and breathed it all in.
    And then an amazing thought hit me.
    Brecken .
    I could visit him in this human body.
     

 
    7
    ~It Ain't as Easy as it Looks~
    Alisa
     
    I closed my eyes—out of habit—and pictured his face, fully expecting to appear at his side, like I used to as his guardian.
    It didn’t happen.
    Of course, I couldn’t do that now that I was stuck in a human body. I grabbed Claire’s purse. I’d drive to wherever Brecken lived, but first I would have to figure out where Claire lived. I pulled out her wallet as I hurried back outside and noticed her birthday. She was my age. We’d be in the same grade—seniors this year. How did I not remember her?
    A rush of nostalgia washed over me, and the pain of what I’d lost and would never have again pierced my heart. Unless… unless I could have it in this body. Maybe Raphael was giving me a second chance.
    I called out to Claire’s mom from the front porch. “Hey, Mom.” The words felt uncomfortable and strange in my mouth. This woman was not my mother. I’d just have to pretend. “I’m going to… uh…” I couldn’t tell her about Brecken—some strange boy she’d probably never met.
    “Katelyn’s house?” her mom asked, her eyebrows rising with a hint of a smile as she walked toward me.
    “Yeah. Katelyn’s.” I laughed like I knew I was a ditz.
    “You sure you feel all right?”
    “Yeah. I’m good.” Hurrying outside, I jumped in a car that sat in the driveway. A light blue VW Volkswagen convertible. Super cute. I knew instinctively it was Claire’s. The key slid in perfectly and the car started with a putter, but died immediately.
    “What the…?” I looked down at my feet. Oh no. Three pedals. It was a manual. I’d never learned to drive anything but an