IN THE FULL MOON

chapter 13 dare at party

A few days later, the fire alarm rang during

U.S. History class. I loved a good fire drill - it

disrupted class for the time being, gave us a

chance for some fresh air, and allowed Ivy, Abby,

and me the freedom to gossip.

The only problem was when the high school

performed the drills in a season with plummeting

temperatures. It was always on a day when I

chose not to drag my coat with me all day and

kept it in my locker. The guys didn't seem

bothered by not wearing their coats, but I was

freezing. Our class lined up outside where the

asphalt met the grass. Nash, Dylan, and Jake

used the opportunity to throw snowballs.

"Here, you're shivering." Brandon was

holding out his coat to me.

I was taken aback at his kind gesture. Nash

hadn't even offered to stand next to me. I think I

was too cold to answer.

I wanted so badly to be wrapped in

Brandon's coat, but I knew if I took it, my friends

would freak out - especially Nash. But what my

friends and Nash didn't know was that I wanted

to use Brandon's coat - not because I was cold,

but because it was his coat. It was close to his

skin and cloaked him all day long. I knew it would

smell good, too - like fabric softener or

irresistible cologne or smoke from a fireplace. I

wanted to wear it now, wear it all day, wear it

forever. It would be the closest I'd be able to get

to him again, since our time together in the

woods when he saved my life.

Ivy shot me a dirty look. She was protective

of me and must have thought Brandon was

hitting on me. I could only hope.

Abby yanked my sleeve toward her and the

three of us girls huddled together.

"I'll take it," Hayley Phillips, a skater from

Riverside, said. She was wearing fingerless

gloves, a knit hat, and a long-sleeved thermal

henley. She put on Brandon's coat. It swallowed

her up like an oversized blanket.

I envied her. At that moment I would have

given anything to have been in her skateboarding

shoes.

School was closed for the next few days for