The Dark Divine Read Online Free

of my chem lab partner. Pete had gym fifth period, and his hair was still damp from the shower. I’d noticed his scent of citrusy soap and fresh-applied deodorant before, but today it filled my senses and made me want to scoot closer to him. I guess it had something to do with what April said about his liking me.
    I fumbled around in my backpack for my notebook and dropped my pen three times before I got it to rest neatly at the top of my desk.
    “Feeling a little weak in the knees?” Pete asked.
    “What?” My chem book took a dive off the desk.
    “Test jitters?” Pete retrieved my book. “Everybody’s freaking. You should’ve seen it, Brett Johnson only snarfed down half a supreme pizza for lunch. I thought that was bad, but
you
look like you’ve just seen the Markham Street Monster.”
    I winced. That joke had never been funny to me. I snatched the book out of his hands. “I’m not nervous at all.” I drew in another deep breath and forced out a long, calm sigh.
    Pete flashed me one of his “triple threat” smiles, and my book hit the floor again. I chuckled as he picked it up, and I felt too warm in my sweater when he handed it back.
    Why am I such a dumb girl? I mean, seriously, get it together
.
    There was only one other boy who could make me feel stupid like that, but since I wasn’t going to give
him
a second thought, I turned my focus to Mrs. Howell as she passed out her thick stack of tests.
    “Hey, Brett and I are going bowling at Pullman’s after practice.” Pete leaned in with his lingering scent. “You should come.”
    “Me?” I glanced up at Mrs. Howell as she put an upside-down test in front of me.
    “Yeah. You and Jude. It’ll be fun.” Pete nudged me and grinned. “You can buy me that box of donuts you owe me.”
    “Jude and I are supposed to help Dad with his deliveries to the shelter.”
    Pete actually looked disappointed for a split second, but then he perked up. “Well, how about I come over to help you after practice. It’ll take, what, a couple of hours? Then we can bowl.”
    “Really? That would be great.”
    “Eyes up front,” Mrs. Howell said. “Your test begins”—she tapped her watch—“now.”
    Pete grinned and flipped his test over. I turned mine over and wrote my name at the top. That warm, bubbly sensation you get when you know something fresh and exciting is beginning swept through my body.

C HAPTER F OUR
D-vine Intervention
IN THE MAIN HALL, AT THE END OF SCHOOL
    “Why didn’t you tell me in English class, you dork?” April sidestepped around a sign-up booth for the spirit club’s holiday fund-raiser. “I told you he was going to ask you out!”
    “It’s not a date,” I said with a smile.
    “Who asked you out?” Jude asked, coming out of the main office right in front of April and me. His question sounded more like an accusation, and his expression looked as cloudy as the winter sky beyond the hall’s windows.
    “No one,” I said.
    “Pete Bradshaw!” April practically squealed. “He asked her on a date for tonight.”
    “It’s not a date.” I rolled my eyes at April. “He offered to help out over at the parish after practice thisafternoon, and then he wants to go bowling. You’re invited, too,” I said to Jude.
    Jude jangled the parish’s truck keys in his hand. I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about my being interested in one of his friends—especially considering the last friend of his I’d liked. But Jude’s expression brightened as he smiled. “It’s about time Pete asked you out.”
    “See!” April pinched my arm. “I told you he likes you.”
    Jude playfully punched April in the arm. “So are
you
coming this time?”
    April’s cheeks flared red. “Uh … no. I can’t.” Little splotches of crimson spread from her face to her ears. “I, uh, I, have to …”
    “Work?” I offered.
    I knew from experience that no amount of coaxing was going to get her to come. April was absolutely mortified that Jude would think