Oh. My. Gods. - Weebly
Oh. My. Gods. - Weebly Oh. My. Gods. - Weebly
She looks like she really wants to say something shrinklike, but thinks better of it. Good thing, too. I grew up on her therapist approach. It so doesn’t work on me anymore. The computer—something from the dark ages of technology if the dingy gray plastic is any sign—is in Damian’s office. You’d think a guy with Greek gods on his PTA could afford to upgrade. He is in his office when we get there, filling out some paperwork at his desk. Looking up, he smiles and asks, “Are you here to use the computer, Phoebe?” I nod, thinking that’s enough of a response. Until Mom pokes me in the ribs. “Yeah. I want to e-mail my friends back home.” “Oh.” His face falls and he looks to Mom for support. Great. Another secret? Another reality-shattering headline? “Honey,” she begins. Her voice is quiet and way too hesitant, but it’s the hand on my shoulder that tips me off to the really bad news. “We don’t want to say you can’t stay in touch with your friends, but—” “What? I can’t even e-mail my two best friends?” I shake her hand off my shoulder. “I thought being stuck on this stupid prison-of-anisland was going to be bad, but I can’t believe this! Why don’t you just put me in solitary and slide bread and water under my door twice a day?” “It’s not that,” she insists. “Phoebe,” Damian says, using what I know must be his patient principal voice, “you are entirely free to e-mail whomever you choose. But we must ask you not to reveal the truth about Serfopoula and the Academy. We trust you to act responsibly.” 44
Is that all? “Fine,” I say, sounding like it’s a major concession when I’m actu- ally thinking, As if they’d believe me. I mean, Nola and Cesca are my best friends and all, but there are limits to every trust. Their faith in me would be seriously depleted if I drop an e-mail saying, Safe in Serfopoula. It’s hot, the evil stepsister has already struck, and, oh yeah, my new school is run by Greek gods. Not in this lifetime. “If you click on the envelope icon at the top of the screen it will lead you through the setup process for your Academy e-mail. I suggest using that program since messages sent from outside e-mail addresses are delayed through our screening software.” Damian looks pleased when I nod. “Well, then we will leave you to your e-mail in private.” Good. I was afraid they’d stay and watch over my shoulder to make sure I didn’t slip up. Mom doesn’t look as pacified as Damian, but she lets him take her hand and lead her out the door anyway. As soon as they’re gone I slip into the chair in front of the computer and log on to create my new Academy e-mail. After entering my entire life history, the program finally prompts me to select my alias. I stare at it for a while before I realize it means I get to choose my own screen name. Nice. Normally I use PhoebeRuns. That’s what I had at Pacific Park and on IM. Here, though, that seems too much like home. And this is definitely not home. This is more like a detour. Like I got lost on my way to USC. 45
- Page 1: Tera Lynn Childs DUT TON CHILDREN
- Page 6 and 7: DUTTON CHILDREN’S BOOKS A divisio
- Page 11 and 12: CH A P TE R WHEN I’M RUNNING I ca
- Page 13 and 14: “Congratulations, Phoebe,” he s
- Page 15 and 16: excitement. “The wedding will be
- Page 17 and 18: Mom gives me an of-course-not look.
- Page 19 and 20: “I don’t know,” Nola says.
- Page 21 and 22: just right—and it’s not like I
- Page 23 and 24: line at LAX security was so long I
- Page 25 and 26: many miles away, the lacy iron stru
- Page 27 and 28: Then, with no consideration for my
- Page 29 and 30: lissville and not even caring what
- Page 31 and 32: think about it, I’m off the train
- Page 33 and 34: in exhaustion and watching the wave
- Page 35 and 36: guy who keeps his speech squeaky cl
- Page 37 and 38: And while I might doubt her judgmen
- Page 39 and 40: tie—my first clue that he’s a l
- Page 41 and 42: around. “We descendants are more
- Page 43 and 44: defines their world in terms of ‘
- Page 45 and 46: I grab my backpack off the ground a
- Page 47 and 48: Stella laughs at me and pops one in
- Page 49 and 50: I don’t plan on eating anything t
- Page 51: major changes in our lives. I didn
- Page 55 and 56: I click send and log off. Bed is ca
- Page 57 and 58: water on my face in the bathroom, l
- Page 59 and 60: high cheekbones. His lips are full
- Page 61 and 62: that time have been technological m
- Page 63 and 64: Reaching up, I finger the glass in
- Page 65 and 66: Clearly, Stella is not high on her
- Page 67 and 68: one year than I’ve read in my ent
- Page 69 and 70: is a lot more appealing as a mentor
- Page 71 and 72: Some of the girls are in sundresses
- Page 73 and 74: sandra and the Hades harem and foll
- Page 75 and 76: smile is more parental, small but s
- Page 77 and 78: Don’t they have better things to
- Page 79 and 80: Nicole points at Troy. “Travatas
- Page 81 and 82: His coal black hair curls over the
- Page 83 and 84: He looks right at me. There are at
- Page 85 and 86: I cheer, too. After all the embarra
- Page 87 and 88: “Yeah,” he says, blushing a lit
- Page 89 and 90: would know it. I’m only amusing m
- Page 91 and 92: The sounds of footsteps and heavy b
- Page 93 and 94: I wave my hand back over my shoulde
- Page 95 and 96: ice on Coach Lenny’s head. A grou
- Page 97 and 98: “Everyone, may I have your attent
- Page 99 and 100: “Damian told me the cross-country
- Page 101 and 102: “Of course,” she says with that
Is that all?<br />
“Fine,” I say, sounding like it’s a major concession when I’m actu-<br />
ally thinking, As if they’d believe me.<br />
I mean, Nola and Cesca are my best friends and all, but there are<br />
limits to every trust. Their faith in me would be seriously depleted<br />
if I drop an e-mail saying, Safe in Serfopoula. It’s hot, the evil stepsister<br />
has already struck, and, oh yeah, my new school is run by Greek gods. Not<br />
in this lifetime.<br />
“If you click on the envelope icon at the top of the screen it will<br />
lead you through the setup process for your Academy e-mail. I suggest<br />
using that program since messages sent from outside e-mail<br />
addresses are delayed through our screening software.” Damian<br />
looks pleased when I nod. “Well, then we will leave you to your<br />
e-mail in private.”<br />
Good. I was afraid they’d stay and watch over my shoulder to<br />
make sure I didn’t slip up. Mom doesn’t look as pacified as Damian,<br />
but she lets him take her hand and lead her out the door anyway. As<br />
soon as they’re gone I slip into the chair in front of the computer<br />
and log on to create my new Academy e-mail.<br />
After entering my entire life history, the program finally prompts<br />
me to select my alias. I stare at it for a while before I realize it means<br />
I get to choose my own screen name. Nice.<br />
Normally I use PhoebeRuns. That’s what I had at Pacific Park<br />
and on IM.<br />
Here, though, that seems too much like home. And this is definitely<br />
not home. This is more like a detour. Like I got lost on my<br />
way to USC.<br />
45
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