Fire Girl Part 1
Page 14
The cheerleaders hesitantly pranced closer.
Bonnie gave Trina an aggravated look, but gestured a circling motion around Grace and Zac. “Attention—circle!”
Everything had happened so fast. My blood pumped into my brain with a whooshing sound.
The cheerleaders circled, Mr. Schmidt busted through the circle, Chance yelled to me outside of the circle.
Trina elbowed me, worry in her lined eyes. “You know this is your fault. She never came to games before today, and from what I overheard, you had something to do with it.”
Principal Schmidt tugged off his Sugar Valley hat. “I’m calling 911.”
“No!” Grace exhaled. “Please.”
Trina knelt beside her injured leg. “I think it just needs a bandage.”
“But she hit her head.” Zac stooped down and inspected the gash. “I think you should probably go to the hospital, Grace.”
“No!” Grace’s eyes turned to me. “No hospitals. Maddie will take me home, won’t you?”
I couldn’t swallow.
“I’ll take you.” Zac reached for her.
“No.” Grace glowered up at him. “Maddie takes me, you play.”
Zac let out a breath and shook his head. “No.”
“Yes.” Grace insisted.
“Sure, Maddie will take you. I’ll help her.” Trina patted the other side of Grace’s shoulder. “Zac, take her to the truck, we’ll create a diversion.”
Trina rushed at me. She took my hand and snatched the microphone away from Principal Schmidt. “Gonna borrow this.” She darted through the circle of cheerleaders. “Spread out!”
Trina really had turned into Rabbit Woman. She flipped the switch on the microphone. “Hey, Sugar Valley!”
Confused and worried faces looked back at us. The players trickled closer to the cheer huddle. The other team started to follow the trickle.
“We have a transfer student from up north, and she has a surprise for you.” Trina turned and thrust the microphone into my hand.
Hyper, nervous energy, the kind only found when called up to do something completely unexpected washed through me.
Trina put her hands out to the side and waved them up and down to me like Rabbit White.
“Go, Madds!” Chance called out behind me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zac pick Grace up and Principal Schmidt behind the wheelchair.
She would hate, hate, hate the attention.
A distraction.
For Grace.
The cold metal grate of the microphone top grazed my lips. I turned for the crowd.
Something that would get all the attention off of Grace.
I took a breath. “I tried to burn the school down.”
It had been the first thing I could think of and it worked.
The crowd tuned into me like paparazzi waiting for the scoop of the century.
My heart thrummed into a nice, eclectic pattern and I wondered if I would pass out. “It was a mistake. A mistake I’m not proud of.”
Trina grabbed the microphone and covered it with her hand. “Sing!” She ordered. “Just do it!”
My mouth went dry. My knees wobbled. My vision blurred.
Trina shook it again. “Don’t think. Just sing.”
I closed my eyes. The hard thing. The only song I could think of.
“Amazing Grace—”
I stuttered.
“How sweet the sound—”
My voice grew stronger.
“To save a wretch like me.”
The words flowed as though they’d never been lost. As though I’d never had to find them.
I opened my tear-soaked eyes and continued singing.
Jimmy and Carrie stared at me from the fence-line.
And now . . . I could see.
Sneak Peek - FIRE GIRL Part 2
Who knew you could sing? Jimmy won’t let this go.
My heart stuttered. Jimmy’s face went through my mind. The one he’d worn when he'd thrown the bottle into the air.
“Is everything all right?”
“It’s fine.” I shoved my phone back into my pocket.
“Is it that girl—the one with the white, frizzy hair?”
I dismissed this. “How’s your head feeling?”
Grace frowned. “Don’t try to change the subject.”
“I’m not.”
“I’m fine.”
“Good. So, what’s your bucket list?”
Grace’s brow pulled down. “You mean before I die?”
My mouth went dry. “I guess.”
Grace chewed the bottom of her lip. “You’re baptized, right?”
This line of thought took me by surprise. I couldn’t stop the scoff that reflexively popped out. “Yes.”
“Have you ever read the Book of Mormon?”
I wanted to be any place but here.
“It’s important.” Grace’s voice was softer than before.
The silence of the night blanketed the room. I couldn’t upset Grace. I just couldn’t. But I couldn’t tell her what she wanted to hear.
Afterword
Thank you so much for reading "FIRE GIRL Part 1." There’s a lot more in store for Maddie and Grace and Zac. Real quick, could you do me a huge favor and leave me an honest review for FIRE GIRL Part 1. It only takes a couple of minutes, but it helps me out a lot.
And then order FIRE GIRL Part 2—you’ll love it …At least I hope you do.
Additional Works by Alivia Anderson
Don’t miss out on what readers are calling the best LDS romance this year…
All Sara Fairbanks wants is to marry her missionary.
All Beau Hennings wants is to start a new life.
When she and Beau—accidentally—kiss, three days before her missionary comes home, Sara is more confused than ever.
Good thing Sara's BFF comes up with a plan to date Beau...and the missionary...at the same time.
Too bad the plan falls apart when her missionary tells her he’s transferring schools and Sara sees Beau out with another woman.
When the truth about the past surfaces, Sara has to make a choice; trust in the Lord or face Mr. Wrong.
About the Author
Alivia Anderson has always been addicted to Fourth of July parades, any kind of chocolate, and stories that you don’t want to end. After moving every couple of years when she was younger, Alivia has enjoyed putting down roots. She loves going on long walks with her husband and playing with her four little boys. She also loves thinking about hypotheticals and painting flowers into the early hours of the morning. Find Alivia at:
Web: alivianderson.com │Twitter: andersonalivia1 │ Facebook: Alivia Anderson
Smashwords: aliviaanderson
Table of Contents
Main Menu
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Copyright Information
Dedication
Sneak Peek
Afterword
Additional Works by Alivia Anderson
About the Author