Read Along Came Jordan for Free Online Page A

no bullying — stuff you'd expect. We have to get this organized right away. We need the money by the first of the year."
    "Okay."
    "I thought you should be in charge since it was your idea."
    The smile dropped from my lips like a rock. "Whoa, wait a minute. In charge like how?"
    "Set it up. Get the announcements out. Plan who does what. Sign up the servants."
    I held up my hand. "I'm new here. You should choose someone everybody knows."
    "You'll be fine. I put Jordan and Laine on the committee with you, and I promise you, everybody knows Laine." He smirked. "I'm going to ask Lacey, too, but she probably can't, since she's always busy."
    "I don't think I can either." A definite cloud of dread brooded around me.
    Bud shrugged me off. "Of course you can. It'll give you a chance to get to know everyone. Hey, you're meeting today after school in room 201, since our regular room is now being used for detention."
    "EC doesn't meet on Mondays."
    Bud laughed. "Does today. Thanks, Emili." He ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
    I followed quite a few steps behind him and headed toward my locker. Another committee with Laine and Jordan? Oh boy, this would be fun.
    After school, I was the first to arrive. Five minutes later, Laine and Jordan walked in together. I knew in my bones Laine had waited until she saw Jordan coming, and then happened to walk in with him to make her point.
    "Emili, isn't this going to be wild?" she asked, her voice bubbling. Much as I hated to admit it, bubbling sounded good on Laine.
    "Wild," I answered with zero bubble in my tone.
    Wasn't this the girl who had tried to kill the idea, earlier? My, how things changed when a hot guy was thrown into the mix.
    Jordan nodded at me, pulled out a chair, and straddled it. He could've posed for a sports commercial. Despite the fact that it was winter, there was a rugged glow to his skin. I wondered if he cross-country skied or something. He had the muscles for cross-country. Looking at him, warmth spread through me, and a shiver ran down my legs.
    Laine jumped right to it. "I have a list of all the duties for our Servant Sale. I like the name Servant Sale, don't you? Sums it up. I thought we could chat about each task and what each will entail."
    Efficient, in-charge Laine was in her element.
    "I thought Emili was heading this up," Jordan said.
    Laine flinched but regrouped fast. "Yes, Bud mentioned that, but Emili has a lot going on, what with being new and all. I thought I'd help her out."
    They both turned to stare at me.
    "Right, Emili?" Laine asked. Her voice might have been dipped in honey, but the look she gave me glared a warning.
    An anchor settled in my gut. Something in me wanted to jump to my feet and demand my rights as chairperson, but common sense shoved my protest to the background. I repeated my silent mantra over and over: Be friendly , Emili. Be friendly .
    "Right. We'll work together."
    Jordan frowned. "Wasn't Lacey supposed to come?"
    "Not available." Laine looked at her notes. "I thought we'd announce the Servant Sale during lunch periods. In the meantime, we can put up teaser posters around school. I'll get the supplies. Jordan, can you come over to my house and work on them?"
    He eyed her. "Why don't we do it after school? It'd be easier."
    I chimed in, "Doesn't matter to me either way." Then I realized Laine hadn't asked me.
    My eyes met Jordan's, but he couldn't hold my gaze. If I hadn't know better, I'd say he was angry. Confusion fluttered over me like loose shavings from a saw.
    Laine started in again. Jordan fastened his attention on her, not looking my way for the rest of the meeting. At four o'clock, Laine stood. "Time to go. Emili, you need a ride?"
    "Sure, if it's okay."
    Jordan cleared his throat and undraped himself from his chair. "She'll meet you outside. I need to talk to her for a minute."
    Laine balked, her eyebrows crunching into a tight frown. Her gaze bounced from Jordan to me. "Okay. See you downstairs, then."