Hunger

fascinating. Brianna wasn’t what people would call beautiful, she was more in the “cute” category. But there was something about her thatmade her hard to ignore. And not just the fact that she was the Breeze.
    “Go, Breeze,” someone yelled.
    But another voice yelled, “Quit showing off, stupid mutant.”
    Brianna stopped dead. Her dress settled back into place. “Who said that?”
    Zil. The same jerk who had picked on Jack over the phones.
    “Me,” Zil said, stepping forward. “And don’t bother trying to look tough. I’m not scared of you, freak.”
    “You should be,” Brianna hissed.
    Suddenly there was Dekka, up off her chair, hand extended between Brianna and Zil. “No,” she said in her deep voice. “None of that.”
    Quinn joined her. “Dekka’s right, we can’t be having fights and stuff here. Sam will shut this place down.”
    “Maybe we should have two different clubs,” a seventh grader named Antoine said. “You know, one for freaks and one for normals.”
    “Man, what is the matter with you?” Quinn demanded.
    “I don’t like her acting like she’s so cool, is all,” Zil said, stepping beside Antoine.
    “You should be on our side, Quinn. Everyone knows you’re a normal,” another kid, Lance, said. “Well…kind of normal. You’re still Quinn.”
    “Knock it off,” Dekka growled.
    “I can take care of myself,” Brianna snapped at Dekka. “I can handle both these little twerps, slap them both down sofast, they wouldn’t even see it happening.”
    “Be cool,” Dekka said to her. “Why don’t you just have a good time and not put on a show?”
    For a second Brianna looked as if she might challenge Dekka. But Dekka never flinched, just waited.
    Brianna sighed theatrically. “Okay. The Breeze is not into making trouble. The Breeze is all about a good time.” She made a sort of curtsy to Dekka, which Dekka accepted with a nod.
    The music rose again and kids went back to dancing or hanging around.
    “Hey, Jack,” Brianna said. “You came.”
    “Yeah.”
    “So. You think you could beat Dekka?” she asked.
    The question startled him. His mouth dropped open.
    “Kidding. Just kidding,” Brianna said. “Dekka’s actually very cool. Not as cool as me, of course.”
    “No one is as cool as you,” Jack blurted.
    Brianna accepted this as though it were only her natural due. “You want to dance?”
    “I don’t know how,” Jack said.
    “Really?”
    “Really.”
    “I could teach you.”
    “I’d be too embarrassed.”
    Brianna shrugged. “It’s not like anyone is going to laugh at you.”
    “Yes, they would.”
    Brianna shook her head. At normal speed. “No way. Everyone is hoping you’ll fix the phones and the internet and all. Everyone likes you. Well, not exactly likes, but everyone hopes you’ll do it.”
    “I told you I fixed the phones already,” Jack said.
    Brianna’s eyes narrowed. “Jack-O, watch what you say about that. It’s supposed to be a secret, right?” Then she shifted focus to someone just behind Jack’s shoulder. “What did you hear?”
    Jack twisted to see the shaved-head kid shrugging. “What? I didn’t hear anything.”
    That voice. Jack knew that voice.
    “That’s right you didn’t hear anything,” Brianna said pointedly. “And you better not repeat what you didn’t hear.”
    He knew that voice.
    He stared at the kid with the voice.
    And suddenly, he saw .
    “So come dance with me,” Brianna said, tugging at Jack’s arm.
    He pulled away. “I uh…I have to go,” he said, unable to tear his gaze away from the shaved-head “boy.”
    “No one will laugh at you,” Brianna pleaded.
    But Jack just shook off her hand and fled toward the door.
    “Okay, fine, forget you,” Brianna yelled. “Jerk. Computer Jerk.” Then, loud enough for everyone to hear, she said, “I guess he’s scared of girls.”

SEVENTEEN
    22 HOURS
    DIANA FOLLOWED JACK from the McClub. It was a relief to get away from Brianna and Dekka. Both girls knew Diana well. Neither had any reason to like her.
    Fortunately, Dekka had eyes only for Brianna, and Brianna was focused on Jack. There had been a terrifying moment when Brianna had spoken directly to Diana, but she’d quickly looked down at the ground and Brianna had not recognized her.
    Jack was moving, ignoring Albert’s polite “Good night,” walking quickly away from the club. Not quite running but looking as if he wanted to.
    She caught up with him. “Jack.”
    He stopped. He