WHEN THE DUCKLING BLOSSOMED

riously wea

ed in front

d Jessica Montgomery standing beh

Amelia

inted at h

ike you've been wearing

na la

e she

m and returned to

wasn't s

'm talkin

eard

aren't you

n't have anyt

aised her

oke up fee

ca la

er confidence w

her locker a

ish, and she wasn't going to wast

-

assroom was un

iscussing thei

der containing her resear

he previous evening wor

ca's group, she placed

ished the

arely loo

Give it

handed

pped throug

write a

es

eaned f

tually a l

smiled

nk y

looked

y aske

aised h

y, b

ed at Lucas

urned tow

slides. Lucas can do the introduction

Amelia?" L

ca sh

do the re

a loo

prese

stared

ou

half of th

ooked away fro

. She should

ca fr

organizing

everyone shoul

ned to h

ssed her li

want to arg

can explain

ia n

nk y

-

a was sitting with R

all morning, but Ryan seemed more inter

you playing

ious

let me come wat

s la

invitation. You practically

up,

one l

le, Amelia was

andwich and a bottl

s walked

Amelia

es

he girl who

weren't parti

etended n

ard them a

towards h

still thinks sh

na la

? That's i

leaned

them to

shook

Ryan has

rls la

onversation but

ia's crush, and he didn't fe

-

elia returned t

on her desk and wen

ned, her folde

hed insid

th

ed beneat

l no

for som

ia t

ng near the window

diately rec

t's

ooked at

, t

t back,

ld it behi

t checking

uld hav

ca sm

ou being s

stepped

ed that for th

ould answer, the

, take yo

aced the folder on

d it and return

eck whether everyth

ges were

eart

d towards

tting with Brianna as i

mething, but the teache

wed her fr

-

ts gathered in the gymnasi

ying with th

the front row w

You can

and the b

pped enthus

gym to return a b

briefly to w

was

y g

dn't hel

red the girls' c

le disa

d towards

eli

ooked

walking t

are you

bra

eading tha

owards the do

iced them f

talking to Ame

glance

l, I t

ca fr

n are they

ny sh

they're

ca la

body is dat

until Amelia and Daniel dis

-

sat at her desk with

was

s frus

o wonder whether things

one vi

ge from the cl

hould send their pa

Alrea

Same

ca: A

typed a

ll send mi

get. We can't afford anot

ared at t

t caused

ad done most o

hone down and co

pages from her folder were only

appen that would make her wish