Snowfire by Terri Farley Page A

that,” Aunty Cathy went on, “she should be pretty much healed. And she should be starting to adjust. If you don’t feel like she’s fitting in by then…”
    Aunty Cathy left the sentence dangling, but Kimo finished it.
    â€œAloha.”
    Â 
    That night before bed, Darby phoned Ann.
    â€œWe have to come up with something for English,” Darby said, getting right to the point when Ann answered.
    â€œI know!” Ann replied. “Let me get the sheet Ms. Day gave us at the beginning of the year. It lists what we can do for our second-semester final presentation.” Ann rustled some papers and came back on the line.“Well, we’re down to two bad choices, but at least we can do these together.”
    â€œI’m bracing myself,” Darby said.
    â€œWe can do a Food Channel–style cooking demonstration…”
    â€œCan’t cook at all,” Darby remarked.
    â€œâ€¦or compose an original song and perform it in front of the class.”
    â€œThat’s all?” Darby asked. “We’re in big trouble.”
    â€œNo, we’re not.” Ann sounded as if she were chiding a child.
    â€œYou can get a new partner if it’s not too late,” Darby offered, “because the only thing I’m worse at than cooking is singing.”
    â€œEverybody can sing,” Ann insisted.
    â€œThat’s what you think,” Darby said.
    There was silence on the line for a moment before Ann asked, “Which rodeo events does Jonah want us to enter?”
    â€œNo!” Darby cried. “Don’t distract me! We can’t talk about the rodeo until we pick a project! If I’m ever going to get my mother to move to Hawaii I need an A.”
    â€œI knew that would work,” Ann said, laughing. “Now, I’m up for singing or cooking. I don’t care which. You pick.”
    â€œI guess cooking is less horrible,” Darby said.
    â€œOkay!”
    â€œYou don’t have to sound so”—Darby fumbled for aword—“ peppy about it.”
    â€œI am peppy! I’ve got all A’s going into finals, and I’m excited about the rodeo! Life is sweet!”
    â€œWell, I’m really tired, and I’ve still got to study some more for Ecology.”
    â€œI’ll quiz you,” Ann said, since she was in the same class.
    Twenty minutes later, as she was saying good-bye to Ann, Darby felt pretty confident.
    Finals were just big tests. She could do this.
    She assembled all of the books, pens, pencils, and paper she’d need for her first day of finals and put them on the bench by the front door.
    Before trying to sleep, she got out her diary and wrote about Medusa.
    She has the heart of a lion, and I wonder if it’s too late to ever tame her. I know Kit loves her, but I’m pretty certain he’d let her go if he thought it was best for her. Could I do that for Hoku? I don’t think so. Forget that—I know I couldn’t. Does that mean I love Hoku less than Kit loves Medusa? That can’t possibly be true. Except, oh, my gosh.
    Darby dropped her pencil. It slipped off the bed and rolled across her bedroom floor.
    She hadn’t gone down to the pasture to see Hoku today! With studying, Medusa, and everything else,she’d put it off until it was too late to go.
    Her heart thudded against the inside of her chest like something trying to get out.
    How could she have left Hoku down there, listening to the cries of a wild horse? What if Black Lava had kidnapped her yesterday and she wasn’t even on the ranch anymore?
    She would have guessed her thoughts couldn’t have gotten any darker, but then they did.
    Kanaka Luna’s threatening neigh was carried on the breeze through her open bedroom window. Thread thin and faraway, it still sounded ferocious, and it gave Darby chills, especially since it was followed by a troubled whinny from one of the mares.
    Why weren’t the