Read Burning Emerald for Free Online Page B

“I needed to go to the nurse—woman problems and all that.”
    â€œThat’s like the fifth excuse this month. People will think you’re pregnant.”
    â€œWhatever. Actually, I’m here on business. I was supposed to meet Jason at twelve-forty-five on the dot.” Mia examined her watch.
    I leaned away from her, just in case crazy was contagious. “Am I about to witness some shady drug deal?”
    She crouched lower in her seat. “No, but I gotta keep it on the DL. Dougie’s in this lunch and I don’t want him to see me.”
    I glanced sideways at her. “Uh-huh.”
    Even though I’d seen it a mile away, it had still come as a shock when it arrived. Mia and Dougie’s breakup had hit our trio hard, leaving me in a messy custody battle for friendship. I refused to take a side. I only had a small handful of true friends, and I was surgically attached to all of them, including Dougie.
    Scanning the cafeteria again, Mia leaned in and whispered, “Don’t look, but Malik Davis is checking you out.”
    â€œGood for him.” I sniggered, not bothering to lift my head from my notebook.
    I didn’t need to. His heated glare was burning a hole in my neck. I did wonder how his pictures would turn out, but I would have to wait another month until they came back from the studio.
    What happened on Picture Day stayed close to my mind, but not enough to exchange words or follow him around. He did plenty of that for the both of us; it was kind of his thing. Okay, I may or may not have taken pictures of him with my camera phone when he wasn’t looking, but all the images turned out fine. Until further evidence came to light, the case of the skeletor mug shot remained unsolved, and Malik still held the title of douche bag of the year.
    â€œMan, he is straight up on your six ,” she exclaimed, indicating his position clockwise. “The guy looks hungry, and not for what’s on his tray. I don’t know, Sam. He’s pretty hot and has a shiny new truck,” Mia teased.
    â€œI’m quite content with the guy I have, thank you very much.”
    â€œOh yeah, I forgot you like your men older. Nineteen is the new thirty.” Continuing her stakeout, Mia spotted her inside man.
    Rail thin and covered with acne, Jason Lao was anything but discreet. The head editor of our school newspaper was the fast-talking, Korean equivalent to Perez Hilton, with a not-so-secret gossip blog that the superintendent had tried in vain to shut down. This tenacious news hound could find dirt on dirt, but he always gave us the week’s scoop before it hit the web.
    Spying the area for any witnesses, he scurried to the table. “Wow. When you said you wanted to meet in private, I didn’t think you meant no-man’s-land.” He swung his legs over the table’s bench and plopped down across from us.
    Mia drew closer and whispered, “I’m on the clock here. What you got?”
    Getting right to business, Jason pulled out his notepad and flipped through several pages. After clearing his throat, he reported, “Courtney B. is sending out invitations this week. I managed to sneak a peek at the guest list first period. Sorry, kid, you didn’t make the cut.”
    Mia sobbed and rested her forehead on the table.
    â€œDon’t feel bad. You can tag along with Sam.”
    â€œWhat?” Mia looked to me with surprise. “You got an invite to the Halloween party?”
    â€œNot really. She wants Caleb to deejay, so I’m invited by association.”
    Mia closed in on me. “Why didn’t you tell me? Sam, you have got to get me into that party.”
    â€œI’m not sure if I have power like that.”
    She grabbed my shoulders and shook me. “Of course you do. Caleb’s the deejay. Just tell her that we’re a package deal; one can’t go without the other.”
    I groaned, knowing that my classwork would