Eve of Samhain Read Online Free Page A

oversized chest, I’d be in business. No luck there, though. The thought of touching my eyeballs turned my stomach, so contacts were a definite no-go. And yeah, I may know how to flaunt my girls, but given the chance, I’d gladly trade them in for a set of B cups. I wasn’t looking forward to my golden years when my twins would be hanging down to my knees.
    “When is your first class?” I asked.
    Jess looked at me like I’d flashed in from another planet. “English Lit at ten. Duh. We both have it, dummy. We picked our classes together, remember?”
    I bent down and snatched my bag from the floor, groaning, because it looked like I’d be vacuuming later in the day. “I’m functioning on four hours of sleep here, Jess. Work with me.”
    “Besides,” she said, scrunching her nose up and grimacing. “I am not a morning person, so I made sure my first class didn’t start until later. Honestly, I don’t know how you do it. Mornings are the worst.”
    “Coffee helps,” I said and grabbed the half full mug of java out of her hand, downing it in one large gulp. I stuck my tongue out. “Needs sugar.”
    Jessica let out a large gasp and yanked the empty mug out of my hands, while she glowered at me. “Ryann! That was…” She fidgeted in place, eyes darting left and right as she racked her brain for a put down. “You’re a…a…”
    I sighed. Watching her struggle was painful. Jess wasn’t proficient like I was in the insult department, and she fought to come up with something witty. Never one to back down from an opportunity to mock others, or myself, I jumped right in. “Crappy-ass roommate? Janky ho?” I tried to keep a straight face and failed. Jess flushed scarlet. A product of her mother’s good upbringing, curse words and slander didn’t come easy for her. It took two years of constant teasing to get her to say the word “ass” instead of “bottom,” and she still referred to her box as her “private place.”
    Jessica had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. We’d met in junior high at the town’s local All Star cheer gym. Though she wasn’t tall at five foot five, her shoulder length, blond hair and bright blue eyes gave her an open invitation into the popular crowd. Despite the opportunities afforded by her appearance, she was far from plastic. A spattering of freckles crossed her nose and her entire face lit up when she smiled. She alone knew of my all-consuming obsession with bags and shoes, and my love/hate relationship with dairy foods and carbs. I’ve heard it said, time and time again, how you could count your good friends on one hand. Jess was the first finger on my one hand, and I loved her dearly.
    With a snicker, I grabbed the empty mug, dropping it into the kitchen sink on my way out.
    I heard her holler as I reached the front door of the apartment. “I hope that coffee burned your mouth, stinker!” Ooh…scathing comeback!
    I laughed and threw her a quick wave. “See you at ten!” With a smirk, I closed the door behind me and burned rubber to class.
    ***
    Ninety minutes later, I strolled into the quad at the center of campus, taking a seat on one of the hard, metal benches. My stomach growled and I eyed the small coffee cart a few feet away, trying to decide if the mile-long line snaking its way around the quad was worth it or not. Frustrated, I craned my head to get a better look at what they were pushing and groaned. Frappucinos and…donuts. Why? Why couldn’t they peddle fruit? Hell, I’d even settle for a bran muffin. Regularity is a thing of beauty. But donuts? If I so much as sniffed one, my butt would take on beach front property, and extra Zumba classes were a no-go. I was Zumba’d out. I took a deep breath and sighed. Looked like I’d be practicing restraint.
    My cell phone buzzed, and I pulled it from my tote to see Jessica’s face flashing across the screen. “What’s up? You know, my mouth feels fine. Your coffee didn’t burn it at