Falling (The Falling Angels Saga) Read Online Free

got it. But it was a joke, and I was too embarrassed to say it wasn’t.”
    Neither girl responded. They were both staring at me, and I realized my excuse was working. They were intrigued enough to hear me out.
    “I thought everyone would laugh when I said I was going to run against one of my best friends. And the most popular girl I know. It sounded funny in my head. And before I knew it, I’d been nominated.” I eyed each of them cautiously.
    “Why didn’t you decline the nomination?” Ashley demanded.
    “Yeah,” Heather said, throwing in her two cents.
    “Like I said, I was embarrassed,” I said softly, putting on a little performance of my own. “We were in front of the entire junior class. I… I just couldn’t. I know I owe you an apology,” I said, making my voice crack as if on cue.
    “When I called you last night you called me a B! You weren’t in front of the junior class then.”
    Uh-oh! Didn’t know about last night. Last night my dark half was still running the show. “I think you got a wrong number,” I said weakly, realizing my dark half had done quite a bit more damage than I’d thought.
    The second bell sounded.
    “Look, I’m going to withdraw today. No harm, no foul, right?” I was smiling again.
    “Plenty of harm,” said Ashley in a seething tone.
    “You’re right. But I’ll make it up to you,” I said. “You’ll see.”
    “How?” The word hovered in the air between us for several seconds, like a bubble waiting to burst.
    “I’ll find a way. Now we better get to class. Wanna hug it out?” I knew Ashley was big on hugging. This was my peace offering.
    “Maybe later,” she said, finally backing away and allowing me some breathing space. I could tell she was on her way to forgiving me; she just needed to play it out a little longer. The attitude still coming off Heather, however, suggested she’d never be ready to forgive. No biggie. Ashley carried way more weight with the Poplarati than Heather. As far as I was concerned, I’d dodged a bullet.
    I stumbled through the rest of the morning like an elephant trying not to step on eggshells, approaching each of my classes with an air of caution. I felt clumsy and awkward, having no idea what I’d said to anyone on Monday.
    Maudrina joined me out on the quad for lunch, away from the cafeteria and the reproachful stares of the Poplarati or anyone else I might have wronged during my dark day.
    “I told her I’d withdraw my name,” I said as I bit into my turkey wrap with honey-mustard dressing. Maudrina shot me a look. “I’m not doing it just for Ashley. No way do I want to run for class president,” I added emphatically.
    “Why not?” asked Maudrina.
    “What do you mean ‘why not’? If I run against the Poplarati it means I’m no longer a member of the Poplarati. Duh!”
    “Oh,” she replied, taking a sip of her cranberry juice. There was a lot more to that oh than she was letting on.
    “I don’t know about you, but I enjoy being accepted by the in-crowd.”
    She nodded. There was a lot more to that nod than she was letting on. Sometimes Maudrina said more being quiet than she did while she was talking, especially when she didn’t agree with me.
    I sighed. “I thought this business with Satan was behind me.” I slumped forward as the weight of all that had happened since I woke up came crushing down on me. “First, I lose an entire day, and then that girl, or whatever she was, shows up in the stairwell. He’s coming for me, Maudrina,” I said darkly. “I can feel it. And this time there’ll be no stopping him,” I said, the self-pity working its way into my voice.
    I didn’t want to feel sorry for myself. Satan had warned me in my dreams that I’d crossed the tipping point. The point of no return. It was survival instinct that allowed me to ignore what was right before my eyes and think I could still beat him. But now I knew better.
    Maudrina placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “If Ibwa sent