to stop before the bell rang, however, she reported to her homeroom. Ordinarily she would take a seat up front, but today she sat in the very back row. While her classmates filed into the room, she trained her eyes on her desk and pretended to be absorbed in an English assignment.
“Good morning, Tori.”
Raven slid into the desk next to hers, and gave her a warm smile. Taken aback, she could only mumble, “Morning” before going back to her assignment. Why is he talking to me all of a sudden? Moments later, the bell rang and the homeroom teacher began passing out permission slips for an upcoming field trip. Without looking at it, Tori stuffed the paper into her book bag to examine later. A tone came over the school-wide audio system, indicating the school principal had announcements. He droned on about the upcoming annual school fundraiser and auditions for the spring showcase, but she tuned him out. The final announcement, however, caught her attention.
“Lastly, I am pleased to announce three of our students have been accepted into the Saltare Ballet Theater summer program. Join me in congratulating Jenny Oryan, Deborah Sax, and Kirstin Martino!”
Shock caused the blood to drain from Tori’s face, and she felt faint. Several people who knew she’d planned to audition turned to stare at her, and she again heard the strange mooing sound. Suddenly she realized they weren’t saying “moo.” They’re saying “moose.” Either her friends or Kirstin had let everyone know Saltare had called her a moose and she was being taunted with it.
Although Raven didn’t fully understand the importance of the ballet company announcement, he could tell right away it had something to do with Tori. Half the homeroom turned to get her reaction, and a few of them mooed for some reason. These kids couldn’t possibly be calling her a cow, could they? That’s absurd. He glanced over at her without appearing to be obvious, and he was alarmed to see her complexion had grown ghastly pale. The homeroom teacher continued to talk about an upcoming field trip for the senior class, but Raven was worried Tori was about to pass out. He tried to catch her eye, but she stared down at her desk as if trying to drill a hole through the wood. When the period was over, he stood and waited for her to gather her things.
“Are you headed to drama?” he asked.
Tears were glittering on her eyelashes. “Don’t start with me,” she said through gritted teeth.
Tori strode from the room, leaving him baffled beyond belief. Did I say something wrong? He trailed her across campus, dismayed at her rigid posture and clenched fists. When George joined him, he followed Raven’s gaze.
“Someone’s ticked off. You heard about Tori, right?”
“What do you mean?” Raven asked. “I know she’s very upset about something.”
“She had her heart set on dancing for SBT. So she makes it past the first round of cuts this past Saturday, and Saltare won’t even let her audition for him. Apparently he called her a moose in front of everyone and said she’s too tall to be a professional ballerina.”
Gasp. “What a creep .”
“Yeah.” George chuckled. “So now Tori’s nickname around campus is Moose.”
Raven gave him a level look. “Not around me it’s not.”
George threw up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, relax. I’d never call her that. As a matter of fact, I’ve always thought she’s a babe.”
Up ahead, Tori yanked open the theater door and disappeared inside. Raven bit his lower lip. After his own rejection from The Royal Drama Academy of London, he was sensitive to her pain…and she didn’t even have parents to talk to about it. I have to try harder to cultivate her. She could definitely use a friend as well as a bodyguard.
No opportunity presented itself to speak with her during drama class, but when Raven arrived at the workout room during the lunch hour, he was surprised to find Tori wailing away on the heavy bag. He
“Good morning, Tori.”
Raven slid into the desk next to hers, and gave her a warm smile. Taken aback, she could only mumble, “Morning” before going back to her assignment. Why is he talking to me all of a sudden? Moments later, the bell rang and the homeroom teacher began passing out permission slips for an upcoming field trip. Without looking at it, Tori stuffed the paper into her book bag to examine later. A tone came over the school-wide audio system, indicating the school principal had announcements. He droned on about the upcoming annual school fundraiser and auditions for the spring showcase, but she tuned him out. The final announcement, however, caught her attention.
“Lastly, I am pleased to announce three of our students have been accepted into the Saltare Ballet Theater summer program. Join me in congratulating Jenny Oryan, Deborah Sax, and Kirstin Martino!”
Shock caused the blood to drain from Tori’s face, and she felt faint. Several people who knew she’d planned to audition turned to stare at her, and she again heard the strange mooing sound. Suddenly she realized they weren’t saying “moo.” They’re saying “moose.” Either her friends or Kirstin had let everyone know Saltare had called her a moose and she was being taunted with it.
Although Raven didn’t fully understand the importance of the ballet company announcement, he could tell right away it had something to do with Tori. Half the homeroom turned to get her reaction, and a few of them mooed for some reason. These kids couldn’t possibly be calling her a cow, could they? That’s absurd. He glanced over at her without appearing to be obvious, and he was alarmed to see her complexion had grown ghastly pale. The homeroom teacher continued to talk about an upcoming field trip for the senior class, but Raven was worried Tori was about to pass out. He tried to catch her eye, but she stared down at her desk as if trying to drill a hole through the wood. When the period was over, he stood and waited for her to gather her things.
“Are you headed to drama?” he asked.
Tears were glittering on her eyelashes. “Don’t start with me,” she said through gritted teeth.
Tori strode from the room, leaving him baffled beyond belief. Did I say something wrong? He trailed her across campus, dismayed at her rigid posture and clenched fists. When George joined him, he followed Raven’s gaze.
“Someone’s ticked off. You heard about Tori, right?”
“What do you mean?” Raven asked. “I know she’s very upset about something.”
“She had her heart set on dancing for SBT. So she makes it past the first round of cuts this past Saturday, and Saltare won’t even let her audition for him. Apparently he called her a moose in front of everyone and said she’s too tall to be a professional ballerina.”
Gasp. “What a creep .”
“Yeah.” George chuckled. “So now Tori’s nickname around campus is Moose.”
Raven gave him a level look. “Not around me it’s not.”
George threw up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, relax. I’d never call her that. As a matter of fact, I’ve always thought she’s a babe.”
Up ahead, Tori yanked open the theater door and disappeared inside. Raven bit his lower lip. After his own rejection from The Royal Drama Academy of London, he was sensitive to her pain…and she didn’t even have parents to talk to about it. I have to try harder to cultivate her. She could definitely use a friend as well as a bodyguard.
No opportunity presented itself to speak with her during drama class, but when Raven arrived at the workout room during the lunch hour, he was surprised to find Tori wailing away on the heavy bag. He
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