Hunters of Chaos Read Online Free Page B

matchy-matchy.” She pushed the ensemble into my chest. “Go ahead. Try it on. I won’t look.”
    She turned her back and whistled a game-show theme song while I kicked off my sneakers and socks, peeled off my road-weary jeans and cotton T-shirt, and pulled on the designer duds, grateful that the turtleneck allowed me to keep my jaguar a secret for a little longer. I couldn’t even see myself yet and already I felt like a million bucks.
    â€œYou can turn around now,” I said. I held out my arms. “So, what do you think?”
    Nicole nodded, her eyes twinkling. “Getting there,” she said. “But we’ve got to do something about that hair.”
    I could practically hear Uncle Mec say, Told you that you should have run a brush through it. For a moment I missed him so much I thought I might cry. So it was a relief when Nicole pulled me back into the room and sat me down on a chair facing away from her. After she dug my brush out of my suitcase—she later informed me the one I was using was all wrong, of course—she brushed my hair until there wasn’t a single tangle left. Then she took it in her hands, twisting and patting and twisting some more. Finally she disappeared into the closet again and returned with a pair of pretty beige Jimmy Choo flats with little blue satin bows near the toe. “Six and a half, right?”
    â€œHow did you know that?”
    She shrugged. “It’s a gift. Lucky for you, we’re the same size there, too.”
    I slipped my feet into the shoes and stood up.
    â€œOh. My. God,” Nicole said. “Major upgrade. Ma-jor.” She dragged me over to the closet again, but instead of entering, she closed the door to reveal a full-length mirror. “Look how pretty you are!” she gushed.
    I had to admit, I really was. She’d styled my hair into a sleek side braid that hung over my shoulder, and the light blue shirt popped against my jet-black hair. Even the skirt was flattering on me, and I never wore skirts. I could get used to this, I thought. “Nicole,” I said. “You’re a miracle worker.”
    She fluttered her hand and said, “Pshaw,” but it was obvious that she agreed. “Well, now that you’re ready to be seen in public, let’s get out there! I’m dying to show you around.”
    â€œYou mean there’s more?” I asked. How big was this place?
    â€œAre you kidding?” she answered. “Wait till you see. Let’s go.” She grabbed a small Michael Kors bag and slung it over her head so the strap rested in a diagonal line across her chest. In her peasant blouse, dark blue True Religion jeans, and strappy sandals, she managed to look casual and glamorous at the same time. How did she do that?
    When we were almost at the door, I stopped and said, “Hey, Nicole?”
    She turned and raised her eyebrows.
    â€œI just wanted to say, thanks for doing all this. I mean, I know I’m probably not the kind of roommate you expected. But you’ve been really”—there was no other word for it—“cool. So thanks.”
    Nicole smiled, flashing her brilliantly white teeth. “Not even,” she said. “We’re going to be great friends, you and me.”
    â€œYou think so?”
    â€œNaturellement.” She winked and floated out of the room.
    I smiled. I still felt like a strange girl in a strange place, and Nicole wasn’t like anyone I’d ever known. But at least I had a friend, and that felt kind of nice.
    â€œGoing or staying, Ana!” Nicole called from down the hall.
    Staying, I thought.

chapter 3
    M AYBE I WAS HALLUCINATING . M AYBE I’d gotten sick on the plane and this whole thing was some kind of crazy fever dream. What else could possibly have explained the jet sitting in the middle of the school grounds?
    I was all set to tell my new roommate that she should probably take me to the nurse, when