Read The Visconti House for Free Online Page B

at recess.
    As she was organizing her books after the last class before lunch, however, Kylie, Maddy, and Janie swooped on her again. They were nudging one another and giggling.
    “Come on, Laura. Tell us what was on the paper,” coaxed Kylie. She twisted the chain around her neckand smiled encouragingly. “We’re your friends. We won’t tell.”
    “It was nothing,” repeated Laura, stuffing her pens into her pencil case. “I have to go.”
    “No, you don’t. It’s lunchtime. You don’t have to go anywhere.”
    Laura looked around. Everyone was packing up to leave. She tried to push past Kylie, but Maddy and Janie blocked her way.
    “It must have been a love letter,” pressed Kylie. “That’s why you won’t tell.” She raised her voice. “Laura Horton’s writing love letters.”
    The room went quiet as everyone turned toward them.
    “Shoosh,” Laura hissed. “It wasn’t a love letter.”
    “Laura Horton’s writing love letters,” chanted Janie and Maddy. “Laura Horton’s writing love letters.” Maddy snatched Laura’s notebook and began flipping through the pages, looking for notes.
    “Stop it,” cried Laura, making a grab for the notebook and missing. “Stop it.”
    “Laura Horton’s writing love letters,” sang out Kylie again, her voice louder than before. Laura felt as though the whole school must be able to hear by now.
    “I’m not. I’m not. Stop it. Why won’t you stop it?” Laura was pleading, her voice cracking.
    Kylie smirked. She leaned forward, her face almost touching Laura’s. “Who was it to?”
    Laura gulped back tears. Her ears were drumming, and her stomach lurched. All she could think of was getting away. She made another grab for her notebook and it tore as she wrenched it out of Maddy’s hand. She gathered up her books in one sweep and started toward the door, but she did not see the bag on the floor. As she fell, her books and pens scattered everywhere. There was a burst of laughter before a voice from the other side of the room said, “Leave her alone.” She scrambled to pick up her things, surprised that anyone would stand up for her.
    It wasn’t until she had reached the door that she realized it was Leon Murphy.
    Once she was out of the classroom, Laura began to run. She ran past the hall, across the courtyard, up the stairs, and along the corridor. She did not stop running until she reached the library, the only place she could think of where she would be safe.
    To her disappointment, she discovered it was closed, but there was a bench outside, so she sat down, huddled up, and waited. Why hadn’t she just shownMiss Grisham the drawing? Why had it seemed so important? It was all so much worse now, and there was no way back, no way out. She stared at the window and bit her lip to stop the tears from starting again.
    “Whatever is the matter?” asked Ms. McAlister, arriving five minutes later, key in hand to open the library, and finding her there.
    Laura jumped up and attempted to look as though everything was fine. “Nothing, Ms. McAlister. I wasn’t hungry, so I came up early. I wanted to borrow some books.”
    Eyes still questioning, Ms. McAlister unlocked the door. Laura managed a smile and slipped past her into the safety of the bookshelves. There she leaned her head against the metal shelving and tried to collect her thoughts.
    How quickly she had fallen into this nightmare. She had never been popular, but she had never been unpopular, either. Despite her house, despite her parents, she had always managed to cling on and keep her head down. But now, it was all spinning out of control. When had this begun? And why?
    Perversely, she thought of Leon. It had all started after he arrived. Not that she thought it was anything he had done; it was just his being there. She frowned.Somehow she was ending up on the outside and ending up with him.
    “Are you sure you’re all right?” Ms. McAlister appeared behind her, making her jump.
    Laura forced a