The Poison Apples by Lily Archer Page A

shady grass off in the distance, and I trudged toward it. Kristen was already standing there, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked at me in horror.
    â€œOh, God,” she said. “You’re kidding me.”
    â€œNope,” I said.
    â€œIs it just the two of us?” she asked. “Because if it is—”
    I never found out what she was going to say. A smiling boy had suddenly stepped into our little patch of shade. Kristen and I fell silent.
    â€œHey,” he said, his hand outstretched, “I’m Pradeep.”
    Kristen and I both stared at him, speechless. Then, for some miraculous reason, I recovered my composure.
    â€œI’m Molly,” I said, and shook his hand. He grinned at me.
    â€œWhat up, Molly?” he said.
    He had thick black hair and skin the color of maple syrup. He had a gap between his two front teeth. He had hazel eyes. He had a crooked grin. He had ears that were just a little too big for his head. He had a gorgeous lips. He had the tiniest bit of chest hair poking out from underneath the neck of his V-neck T-shirt. He had bony wrists. He had a pronounced Adam’s Apple that throbbed slightly when he smiled. He had—
    â€œI’m Kristen,” said Kristen. She stepped forward, her red hair falling across half of her face, and delicately offered him her hand.
    The boy blinked. I watched his hazel eyes take in Kristen’s perfect skin, her perfect hair, her perfect dress, her perfect body. No! I tried to telepathically communicate to him, don’t!
    â€œIt’s weird that you shake people’s hands,” Kristen said to him, raising one eyebrow.
    He tilted his head to one side and stared at her, mock serious. “You got a problem with that?” he asked.
    â€œYeah,” she said, her lips thrumming with a half-concealed smile. “I do.”
    They grinned at each other.
    Great. Just great.
    â€œOKAY, EVERYONE!” screamed the megaphone girl. “I WANT TWO PEOPLE IN EVERY GROUP TO PAIR OFF!”
    â€œWell, I’m definitely not pairing off with you,” Pradeep said to Kristen.
    â€œYou neither,” she giggled, and they moved toward each other as if by magnetic force.
    â€œOookay,” I said. “I guess you guys are the pair.”
    They ignored me.
    â€œNOW!” the girl said. “THIRD PERSON, FACE AWAY FROM THE PAIR!”
    I sighed and faced away from Kristen and Pradeep. I could see a Japanese-style pond in the distance, with tall reeds and stone benches. I pictured sitting on one of the benches with Pradeep and whispering word origins in his ear. You’re so smart, he’d murmur, and then our fingers would touch.
    â€œFALL BACK!” the girl yelled into the megaphone, interrupting my fantasy.
    My heart froze. I turned around to face Kristen and Pradeep.
    â€œWhat’d she say?” I asked.
    Kristen stared at me, already annoyed. “She said fall back. Fall back and we’ll catch you.”
    â€œUm,” I said. “I don’t want to.”
    â€œIt’s okay,” said Pradeep. “You can trust us.”
    I looked at him for a long time. He smiled reassuringly at me, and I watched his amazing Adam’s apple bob up and down. What would it be like to touch his neck?
    â€œFor God’s sakes, Molly,” Kristen said. “Fall.”
    â€œOkay, okay,” I said, and turned back to face the Japanese garden. I paused. I didn’t want to fall. Why was this a necessary part of boarding school orientation? What did this have to do with math and English class?
    â€œFALL!” I heard through the megaphone. “FALL!”
    I closed my eyes. The sun shone through my closed lids and made everything a pulsing orange color. I smelled the new-cut grass and the sunscreen on people’s skin. Okay. I had to do it. I had to take risks. This was my new life. Everything was different now.
    I took a deep breath. I rocked back on my ankles. Once. Twice. A