Fear Me Not (The EVE Chronicles) Read Online Free

shout. But dangerous for who? Gutters, or us? I spot anti-alien logos on shirts. PFE - People for Free Earth. The sight of the logo, an orange circle enclosing a bird wing, punctures my stomach with splinters. Mom’s group.
    A faint PA voice from the school announces lunch. I don’t want to go in. I don’t want to see those pale-eyed faces, how they eat at the table, what they’re eating. I sure as hell don’t want to see Shadus. I’ve got a Gutter for a roommate, a Gutter for a culture partner. I’m surrounded. I suck in a breath and try to call up Alisa’s happy face, Dad’s weary grin. Mom’s death, caused by the Gutters, destroyed us.
    But because of the Gutters, I can start to put us back together again.
     

 
     
    2. The Devil
     
    Raine snores like a congested elephant, the last thing I expected of a seemingly perfect pretty alien-girl. It makes it hard to get a wink in edgewise. I pull the covers over my head and text on my phone with Alisa. She says to call. The phone rings once, and she picks up.
    “Vic! Okay, tell me all about it. What do they look like? How old do they look? Are they pretty? Are the boys hot? Or are they just plain freaky? Do you have your own room?”
    Raine chokes on a snore, and rolls over. Alisa giggles at the sound.
    “I have an alien for a roommate,” I whisper. “You know Raine? That model you’re always going on about in your magazines?”
    “That’s her?” Alisa squeals. “Oh my god, you have to get her autograph for me.”
    “Gimme a break.”
    “Please, Vic? Please ?” She uses her pouty voice, the one that punches hole in my heart. I bite my lip.
    “Ugh, fine. I’ll get you an autograph.”
    “Yes!” She hisses in victory.
    “How’s Dad?”
    Her giggles fade. “Oh, you know. Tired. Same as always. He had four shifts today. I’m making muffins for him to try and perk him up.”
    “I miss your muffins. I miss him. I miss you.”
    I hate the crack in my voice as I say it.
    “Vic…” Alisa trails off. “We miss you, too. It’s hard. Being alone. Going to school alone.”
    “Do those girls still bother you?”
    “It’s okay, really. I’m taking the long way so they won’t -”
    “Alisa, you have to stand up for yourself!”
    “I’m fine! It’s okay. I’ll manage until you get back.”
    I wince, my eyebrows pinching painfully. Alisa’s asthma made her a target for girls at her school. I walked with her every day to and from school, her shield against the jeers. How can I be her shield if I’m so far away, now?
    “Promise you’ll call a lot, Vic?” Alisa murmurs.
    “I will. I promise.”
    Her serious tone lightens, and she barrels into a story about discount shopping at the mall. The pressure of the day hits me like a sledgehammer, and my eyelids ease closed. Her cheery voice lulls me to sleep.
    When I wake up, her text awaits, full of smilies; ‘ Try to stay awake next time, dork J’ .
    Those stupid text faces give me strength.
    Dressing for the first day of school is the same as outfitting yourself for battle. It makes the first impression - tells people where you’ve been for the summer, or how well off you are. It’s the outermost layer of the stinking onion that is every person in the world. Some layers are shinier than others. My layer is made of frayed jeans and mismatching socks. Gutters seem to understand how important clothes are to humans - Raine has an entire closet of couture clothes she picks over carefully. The Gutters yesterday dressed in decent, clean-looking things. Even Shadus’ combat boots looked shiny and new.  
    “You guys study our fashions or something?” I pull my faded shirt over my head. Raine turns at the question.
    “We’ve grown up studying human culture in order to fit in better, clothes included.”
    “Yeah? What about when you were lizards? Did you guys wear clothes in your original bodies?”
    “No. Our harder skin did not need protection as yours does. Our sensitive areas were protected