When Lightning Strikes (Lightning Series Book 1) Read Online Free

you going to be around for dinner?” She looked him in the eyes. “Mom has been extra weird and clingy lately. I could use someone else as a target for a while.”
    He gave her a quick squeeze. “Give Mom a break. She almost had a heart attack when the police called. You didn’t see her when we first got to the hospital. I thought we might have to find a bed for her too.”
    Her forehead wrinkled as she watched him talk. His words sounded right, but she felt like she was missing something. She shook her head. “So…dinner?”
    “I don’t know. Dad and I were going to go out again.” He looked down at her frown. “I guess we can always go another time.”
    “What’s up with you and Dad going out on your own so much? Mom and I are actually starting to miss you both.”
    He looked away. “Nothing much. Guy stuff.”
    “Come on and spill it. Guy stuff—really? I know something’s up.”
    Jamie looked around at everything but her. His friends had drifted out of the courtyard and were inside or walking between the planter boxes to their classrooms. He finally looked down at her.
    “Hey, I have to get going. I need to talk to one of the teachers before class.” Worry lines appeared around his eyes. Jamie never worried about anything. He was so unlike her.
    “Fine, but you know that I will worm it out of you sooner or later.”
    “I wish that was true.”
    “Jamie?” She narrowed her eyes at him.
    “Bye, Ghouls. Try not to get caught sleeping in any of your classes again today.”
    She watched him walk away between the manicured flower beds before she turned to walk to her first class. There was definitely something going on. She was too busy dancing, too busy with her other friends to truly realize it until now. After her performance, she would make it her priority to get whatever was going on out of him.
    “Jules!” Mandy stood by the door to their classroom, waving her arms frantically. She ignored the people trying to file by her into the glass double doors. Julie waved back and hurried over.
    As always, Mandy’s blue eyes sparkled with exuberance. She was tall for a girl, lean and pretty. “Jules, you will never guess what happened! I got the lead in the school play! I beat out the seniors because I nailed the audition singing. Can you believe it?”
    Julie grunted as her friend swept her up in a big hug, nearly knocking a few people over. Her friend was oblivious to a few of the dirty looks she got as they walked down the hallway.
    Darcy smirked behind them both. She was the brains of their group and was the smartest girl in their class. She, like the two of them, also had her life planned out—college, then law school to join her father’s firm. It was one of the biggest corporate law firms in Atlanta. Even if her father was a partner there, she still had to earn her place.
    Darcy’s soft brown eyes laughed at Mandy picking up Julie so easily. She was average height and had gotten a lot of curves from her mother. Julie glared at her in mock anger as the taller girl swung her around. Usually Darcy warned her when Mandy was in this mood.
    “That’s awesome, Mandy!” Julie squealed once her friend actually put her down.
    “I know, isn’t it? You should have seen Jessica Johnson’s face. She was so mad!”
    Julie winced and looked around to see if anyone else heard, but the hall was almost clear. This wouldn’t be the first time that Mandy started a fight by inadvertently saying something hurtful. She caught her other friend’s eye and grinned, realizing that they were doing the same thing.
    Darcy sighed. “I have missed you guys lately. I know you have both been crazy busy with dance and music stuff—it sucks for me.”
    Julie looked at Mandy, and they both pounced on Darcy, squeezing her in a big hug.
    “Get off.” Darcy laughed.
    They let her go, and they all entered their homeroom together laughing. Darcy opened her mouth to say more but stopped. Mandy and Julie looked over where she