Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

Author:Laurie Halse Anderson [Anderson, Laurie Halse]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc.
Published: 2011-07-24T14:00:00+00:00

After she leaves, I wander the aisles and pick up a bag of Chee•tos and some soap. I love Chee•tos. I love orange Chee•tos dust under my fingernails. Since I’m indulging myself, I decide to buy a box of ice cream sandwiches, too. I’ll wait until everybody goes to bed and eat them all by myself.

Mitchell Pangborn tracks me down in frozen foods.

“Hey,” he says. “I saw your car in the parking lot.”

“Hey.”

I look him over carefully, using my contact-enhanced laser vision. He’s wearing a sweat-soaked T-shirt from Pangborn Landscaping, filthy jeans, and boots. His arms are scratched, his face a little sunburned. God, he’s hot.

“I thought Sara said we were going to take you to the movies.”

“I ruined the plans. Is this how you dress for a kidnapping?”

He looks down and brushes the mulch from the front of his shirt. “Dad made me work until it got dark, then I had to unload the trucks. I came straight here. I’ve been worried about you, Malone, really worried.”

An old man says, “Excuse me,” and reaches in front of Mitch to open a freezer door. We stand quietly as he stares at the selection of Hearty Man meals. He chooses Hearty Beef Stew, closes the door, and shuffles away. Ice crystals hang in the air.

Mitch steps closer and puts his hands on the end of my cart. The metal conducts an electric current from his body to mine. It makes my fingertips tingle.

“I was worried,” he says again.

“I didn’t want to talk to anyone.”

“Not even me?”

There are many fine things about Mitchell Pangborn’s body, but his hands are near the top of the list. My magic contacts let me examine every detail: the calluses, the mulch under his nails, the tendons and veins, the soft part at the base of his thumb. I want to touch them. I want them to touch me, to thaw me, bring me up to room temperature. Mitchell Pangborn’s thumbs running down the length of my spine. His hands on my—

“What are you going to do, Kate? I mean really, all bullshit aside, what are you going to do?”

The tone of his voice snaps me out of the fantasy. I blink. “Appeal. I think they made a mistake.”

“That’s crap.”

“No, it’s not. I think the computer screwed up.”

He makes a face. “It’s crap and you know it. You didn’t get in, babe. You have to deal with it.”

Red warning lights flash behind my contacts. “That’s a little harsh, don’t you think?”

“It’s not harsh, it’s real.” He takes his hands off the cart and lowers his voice. “Deluding yourself won’t help anything, Malone.”

“Excuse me? You’re in Harvard, you’ve known for months. You don’t know what this feels like.”

He puts his hands on his hips. More mulch flakes fall to the floor. “It’s not that difficult to figure out. Lots of people don’t get into their top school, and you know I’m sorry that you didn’t, but it’s not the end of the world. Choose one of your safeties and send in your deposit.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.