Read The Dangerous Days of Daniel X for Free Online

little strange to say it to someone as genuine as Phoebe.
    “Daniel Hopper.”
    “Nice to meet you, Daniel Hopper. I actually
could
use some help. Just to get my locker back open,” Phoebe said. “Frankly, I don’t know if I can lug all these books home.”
    I slid her bag off the floor and onto my shoulder.
    “You’re in luck,” I said. “Lugging is one of my better talents.”
    She smiled again. “I thought you were looking for the library, Daniel.”
    She had me there. “I got a better offer, I guess.”
    “I guess you did. Well, let’s see how you lug.”
    Chapter 21
    I WALKED PHOEBE all the way home, and I enjoyed every second of it. She lived on South Cedar, about ten blocks from the high school. Her father was a computer salesman, and she told me they moved around a lot.
    “Too much,” said Phoebe with a wistful look that got to me. One of the really nice things about her—she was practically unconscious about how pretty she was. I completely understood her feeling about moving.
    “My family moves a lot too,” I said. “They’re kind of free spirits.” Definitely.
    Daniel is gorgeous! I wonder if he would maybe ask me out?
she thought as we stopped in front of her house.
It’s okay, Daniel. Go for it,
I heard Phoebe thinking. Wishing . . . encouraging.
    I smiled, and felt a little light-headed, actually. News flash: I had never had a date with a human girl. So I’d never actually asked a girl out before. But Phoebe seemed so regular and nice, plus I’d just read her mind and she was interested in me. Still, I was afraid.
    “Why don’t we go to a movie, or maybe explore Glendale sometime?” I finally blurted out. Our hands grazed as I gave her back her bag.
    “Okay,” Phoebe said. “The movies, whatever. That’d be great. Good. You know what I mean.”
    She started up the stairs of her house, then stopped and turned back. Her blue eyes settled on me.
    “Were you really looking for the library?” she asked.
    I smiled. “Nope, I was looking for you.”
    “Good answer,” she said, then disappeared inside.
    And no, I didn’t
create
Phoebe Cook, in case you’re one of those people who like to look ahead in a story.
    Chapter 22
    I CAME THROUGH the front door of my rental house, checked everywhere for trouble, then collapsed on the couch. I knew high school was going to be a change of pace, maybe challenging, maybe anxiety producing, but I wasn’t expecting boring—everything except Phoebe Cook, anyway.
    After a while, I managed to peel myself up to start dinner. I didn’t want to go too crazy, so I settled on a rosemary-crusted rack of lamb with truffle-spiked potato puree. As I cooked, I listened to a concerto by a classical guitarist named Rémi Boucher. The guy is not of this world, and I wondered if he was maybe another alien.
    I’ve had the same thought about Tiger Woods, Bono, and, of course, Sanjaya Malakar.
    After dinner I put on a fire and lay in front of it reading
Water for Elephants.
Ten minutes later, I put the book down, unable to concentrate the way I usually can.
    I thought about Phoebe Cook.
    I thought about Dana, my dream girlfriend.
    Should I feel guilty? I didn’t think so. I hadn’t even kissed Phoebe. Yet.
    I finally got up and made myself a pot of coffee. Then I cracked my knuckles and opened my laptop. The same one I’d found near the house where my parents were killed. Nothing better to get your mind off girls than thinking about aliens.
    I brought up Ergent Seth’s file and read it over again.
    Alien: Ergent Seth, Number 6
    Human Alias(es): ? Changes names on an as-needed basis, often hourly.
    Area of Infestation: LA and Orange County, California. Central City, East LA. Arizona. Nevada. Mexico. South and Central America. And still branching out.
    Illegal Activities: Drug dealing, mass murder, abductions, torture, mind control and possession. Did we mention
MASS MURDER?
    Planet of Origin: Gorto 4.
    Alien Species: Vermgypian (see footnote).
    Current Danger