Unveiled: A Paranormal Urban Fantasy Novel (The Dark Skies Trilogy Book One) by Lysa Daley Page A

standard mascara and blush. Not too much. Just enough to spruce me up a bit.
    "I guess I'm just looking forward to my history quiz." I avert my eyes. "Cause I'm super prepared and everything."
    "Right," he says, with a tight grin. "Just because you aren't going to tell me why you're in such a good mood doesn't mean you have to lie."
    "I have no idea what you're even talking about."
    After he drops me off, still floating on air, I head down my school's main hallway. My mood is dampened a bit when I see somebody has trashed one of the lockers. Open books and papers lie strewn across the wide tile hallway.
    As I get closer, I realize that it's my locker.
    Ruby is already there, trying her best to collect loose papers and stack my books up, so they don't get kicked down the hallway.
    "Astrid." Ruby stands when she sees me coming. She looks frazzled. "I just got here and found it like this."
    “Who would do this?” My positive vibe instantly vanishes.
    I thought I fit in at this school. I thought people actually liked me here. I've been at other schools where I was the outcast. I've even been bullied. But not here. Never here.
    "It was Meegan McGovern," Ruby glowers. She leans toward me and whispers, "She's totally pissed that you're all lovey-dovey with Chad Olson."
    "What are you talking about!?" I ask, completely mortified. I bend down to collect a few runaway worksheets. "I was his science lab partner for exactly 45 minutes. There is no universe in which that could be considered lovey-dovey."
    "I'm just saying," she shrugs, then hands me a sad, rumpled pile of my notes and worksheets. The pages are torn and crumpled. A couple even have footprints on them. "Is anything missing?"
    I do a quick inventory. None of my books or folders are gone. My pencil bag, hairbrush, and water bottle are all still there. I quickly scan the inside of my locker. It doesn't hit me until I glance at the inside of the empty metal door.
    "Wait. My photographs are gone. I had pictures taped to the door."
    "That's random," Ruby replies.
    "There were only a couple," I say, still rummaging around to see if they got stuck in any of the other papers. "Two from the school trip to San Francisco last year, and a really old one from my old school."
    "Were they your only copies?"
    "No," I say, realizing that I have backups. "They’re all on my phone."
    "Then it's not that big of a deal." Ruby nods as the first-period bell rings.
    "Right," I nod and grin like it's no big thing. But I feel oddly violated. And somehow I don't think Meegan McGovern is behind this.
    Strolling into bio, I do my very best to shake off the locker thing and look all calm, cool, and collected. Chad is already sitting at our lab table with the squid on the desk.
    "Hey," I say, as I pull off my backpack and take a seat.
    "Hey," he nods.
    A long awkward silence follows as I pull out my bio folder and retrieve my worksheet.
    "So, um," he begins. "Did you already do the reading and fill in all that stuff on the lab report?"
    "Not really," I lie. Actually, it's only a half lie. I didn't do the reading because I've already had bio three times, so I just filled in the report.
    "Cause I was having a little trouble with the anatomy section," he confesses.
    "Oh," I say, not sure where he's going with this. Am I supposed to offer to help him or something? Would that be weird?
    "I was wondering if you could help me?"
    "Oh," I repeat, sounding like a babbling idiot.
    He must think I don't want to help him because he quickly adds, "I mean, you seem like you're pretty good at this stuff, but you're probably busy and everything."
    "I'd be happy to help," I reply as my stomach flip-flops.
    "Maybe we could meet after school," he suggests with a smile. "In the library. If you have time?"
    "I can probably find a little time." I smile back.
    Guess what? My good vibes have returned.
----
    " W hat's wrong with these waffles?" I ask, nearly choking on the flavorless wad of dough in my mouth.
    "How should I