Read A Girl Like Gracie for Free Online

for
me.
    “ No way,” a boy says, dropping his
fork. It makes a loud sound as it hits the table. “But you look
Chinese.”
    “ Korean,” Elliot corrects.
    I pull the chopsticks in my purse out to eat
with. I don’t want to embarrass myself at school by trying to use a
fork.
    “ That means Alfie is part Korean too?”
the girl asks.
    “ Obviously,” Elliot says.
    “ Can you speak Korean?” the boy
asks.
    “ Yes. Both Alfie and I can,” I
answer.
    “ Say something in Korean,” he
says.
    I look at him, then at Elliot. Before either
of us can respond, Alfie walks up to the table. He grabs my tray
without saying a word and walks it over to his own table. He sits
it down beside where he’s sitting and then motions me with his
index finger.
    “ Joesonghamnida ,” I say, apologizing in Korean,
then get up. “I guess that is my cue.”
    I walk over and take a seat beside Alfie. I
wait for him to say something, but he doesn’t. He just eats.
    Everybody at the table looks at me.
    “ Are you two dating or something?” a
guy asks.
    “ Gross,” Alfie and I say at the same
time, and we both laugh.
    Alfie turns away from me. “She’s my
sister.”
    “ Ah, that explains why Noah was so
interested in her,” the guy says, looking at me. “I’m Hunter West,
but you can call me West like everybody else.”
    West is tall, like Jace. He has blond hair
and dark brown eyes. He’s also tanned, so I guess he spent a lot of
time outside this summer, maybe at the beach. I always forget that
Americans like to be tan. People probably think I’m really white.
Anytime I went to the beach, I always covered myself from head to
toe because I didn’t want to get dark.
    “ I’m Gracie James,” I say, catching
myself before I bow. I don’t want to make Alfie more mad than he
already is. I just pick up my chopsticks and start eating again,
careful not to slurp anything.
    “ Do you have a boyfriend?” West
asks.
    I look up in time to see Alfie smack him on
the back of the head.
    “ Never mind,” he says, rubbing his
head.
    Alfie smiles, obviously satisfied.
    “ No boyfriend. Just one very
protective brother,” I say quietly to myself.
    Jace, who is sitting across from me, smiles.
Apparently he heard what I said.
    Alfie turns to look at me. “From now on, you
eat here. Got it?”
    “ Yes,” I say.
    “ Good,” he says, then continues
eating.
    Well, at least I don’t have to worry about
eating alone.
     
    So you can punch him?
     
    At the end of the day, I go to my locker and
grab all my books. We don’t have any homework, which is odd, but I
figure I can get a head start on studying and maybe work ahead on
some assignments. I fill my messenger bag full and sling it over my
shoulder. It’s heavy, but not nearly as heavy as my books in Korea
were.
    I walk down the hallway towards the exit. On
my way out, I pass Noah, who runs up beside me.
    “ Let me help you with your bag,” he
says. “Those books look heavy.”
    “ No thanks,” I say, holding up a
hand.
    “ I’m sorry. About the whole Yang
thing,” Noah says. “I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with
you.”
    “ It’s not that. Not really. It’s just…
my brother doesn’t like you,” I say. “And to be honest, he doesn’t
really like me either. I don’t want to make him mad by talking to
you.”
    “ Let’s be friends,” he says. “We can
be friends in secret.”
    “ I don’t know,” I say.
    “ You still have my number?”
    I nod.
    “ Text me,” he says, then adds,
“please.”
    “ Maybe,” I say, then turn and walk
towards Alfie’s car. When I get out there, both him and Jace are
waiting for me.
    “ Why is your bag full?” Alfie asks,
when he sees me. “Do you already have homework?”
    “ No. I just want to get a head start
on studying,” I answer. “Most of my classes are advanced
ones.”
    I take my bag off my shoulder and start to
climb in the back. Jace takes the bag from me and then hands it to
me once I’m sitting