Read So Into You [The Jane Austen Academy Series #2] for Free Online Page A

achievement award a gift from the universe so she could stay? She wasn’t sure how her parents would see it—how she could make them see it.
    "Speaking of buying the place," Emma said as the girls made their way to breakfast, "Lizzie, did the new owners respond to your petition to save the Jane Austen Academy name?"
    "Not yet," Lizzie said. "I’m waiting to hear back."
    Ellie frowned. Waiting didn’t sound like Lizzie at all.
    "Since when do you wait?" Emma had obviously come to the same conclusion.
    "Since now."
    "Since you’ve been replaced by an alien pod person?" Emma asked.
    "Since you can mind your own business," Lizzie snapped. Then, "Sorry, sorry. I’m anxious. The name change and this whole thing with Ellie. They haven’t gotten back to me, but they will."
    "You have our support," Ellie said, shushing Emma with a look. "Whenever you need it. However you want to pursue the issue."
    "Thanks, Ellie," Lizzie mumbled.
    "Yeah, no biggie," Emma agreed. "We have more important things to think about. Celebration party. Josh is throwing it in his room to celebrate you staying."
    "But we only just found out I’m staying. How did he have time to plan a party?"
    "It was going to be a good-bye party," Emma admitted. "But now it doesn’t have to be!"
    "I have to get up early tomorrow for my first day of breakfast service," Ellie said. She turned to Lizzie, expecting her to back her up, but Lizzie only smiled sheepishly.
    "I’m going," she admitted. "Dante’s expecting me."
    "I bet Edward is expecting someone, too," Emma said slyly.
    "Stop it—we’re just friends," Ellie said. "Promise me you won’t make a big deal about us. Otherwise, I’m not going."
    "Promise," Lizzie said. "Right, Emma?"
    Emma curled her hands together in a halo over her head.
     
    * * *
     
    Ellie pulled the chair into a corner and sat with both her feet propped up on the cushion. She nibbled her lip as the phone rang.
    "Hi, honey," her mother answered. From the way she sounded, Ellie could tell her mother was in the middle of a balancing pose—perhaps with her right knee bent so her foot was pressed against her thigh. Her mother never lost an opportunity to ground herself. Ellie wished she could so easily achieve the calm her mother seemed to possess, but yoga never brought her peace. In fact, she didn’t practice it anymore, although her mother still insisted she perform the meditative breathing.
    "Hi, Mom!" The words rushed out. "I spoke to our guidance counselor . . . I mean headmistress—she’s the same person now—and she was thinking it would be better for my records if I stayed here through first quarter midterms so she helped me with an academic achievement award, and I got a job in the cafeteria so I’m covered through Thanksgiving without you and Dad having to pay anything, so isn’t that great, what do you think?"
    Her mother inhaled deeply and released a long, drawn-out exhale that gurgled like static through the phone. "Take one, too, Ellie."
    Ellie forcefully breathed in and out and did admit that with each breath she grew calmer.
    "You realize this means you’ll miss the opportunity to christen our new home."
    "I know you guys will get a beautiful place and I’ll love it." And she wasn’t used to living with her parents during the year anymore—although she didn’t want to say that to her mother.
    "You’ll miss the opportunity to make new friends and acclimate to your surroundings in your new school."
    "The universe came together with this job and this achievement award. I should go with the flow."
    She could feel her mother’s smile through the phone. "Very well done, Ellie."
    "So does that mean..." Ellie bit back a squeal.
    "I suppose Thanksgiving is just as well. It will take us time to set up a home and the studio."
    "Thank you!" Ellie practically screamed. "Thank you thank you thank you!"
    "Let me confirm with your father first."
    Ellie knew her father wouldn’t rock the boat. It wasn’t like him to do so.