CHAPTER TWELVE
Warning: Some explicit language
Fern looked up from her reading with a start. She'd arrived thirty minutes early to get in some private reading time, yet here stood the girl from her first day, her baggy black pants making her legs seem twice their size. Silvery chains hung from the numerous pockets, and she'd added a few to her combat boots and leather vest.
"I knew I'd find you here," the girl sneered, plopping down a thick volume before sitting cross-legged in front of the beanbag chair. "I thought you might enjoy this, if you're into dark mysteries."
"Who are you?" Fern asked. The girl smiled darkly, her black lipstick twinkling in the light.
"Snow Fire, junior, doesn't really care what you think anymore," she said, extending a hand. "I don't really care why you were looking, why you were staring. I don't care that you're a quiet fucking mouse with a socialization problem either. I just want to share these books with someone, and you seem to fit the job."
"So you care about this library?" Fern asked. Snow Fire nodded. "What about the one in town?"
"Please, that fag is ruining the place. He needs to go back to Metropolis where he belongs, but if I can't get my wish on that one, I'll fix this place instead. We've got to get people in here. I'll keep them quiet, as will she, but we've got to get these books to people or they'll shut this place down. You see the problem now, mouse?" Snow Fire asked. Fern nodded softly. "Give me your real name so I can quit sounding so bitchy to you," she smiled.
"I'm Fern," she replied, closing Frankenstein and eying the new volume. "Who is that author? I've never seen the name before."
"It's a translated novel from Germany. If you're interested in reading a good foreign piece, you'll help me start this book club. Apparently none of the teachers think I'm reliable because I like to be comfortable with myself," she said, gesturing to her gothic outfit. "It doesn't help that I'm underspoken in some classes and outspoken in others, if you catch my drift. I also may or may not have anything to do with last year's vandalism crisis," she grinned darkly, eying Fern's books.
"Both are classics," Fern said softly, clutching her volumes tightly. "So if I get the book club started, it'll save the library?"
"It's not that simple, Fern, but it's a start. I'm trying to get a reward program established with the English professors, but they could care less, it seems. Maybe if the book club gets started and has the right person behind it, we could get more hits. So, are you familiar with Dr. Langley?" Snow Fire asked. Fern shook her head. "He only teaches advanced English courses, usually to those who have AP British Literature as well. If you could contact him the right way and get him onboard, you'll have a lot of luck."
"How can I approach someone like that? I'm not even in honors English."
"This is his favorite book," Snow Fire said, sliding the foreign novel in her direction. "Read it, write up a good report on it. Do you know how to do that? I already tried submitting a paper to him anonymously, but it wasn't insightful enough. He sent it back to the teacher I put it through with. That teacher thought I was crazy for trying, but if we can't get him, she'll at least help us."
"And she can't get him onboard?" Fern asked. Snow Fire shook her head fiercely, shaking the volume again. Fern picked it up. The book was at least five hundred pages; it would take four days to read, and she'd never done a good analysis paper before. "What else should I do? What if this doesn't work out?"
"I've got faith in you, mou—Fern," Snow Fire said, clearing her throat and eying the people walking by. "I've got a list of books I want to go through. You should add to it," she said, handing Fern a stapled packet of paper. Fern nodded, watching as Snow Fire quickly gathered her things and approached the desk.
Despite picking up three books the day before, she was already finished. Snow Fire may be gothic and dark, as well as bitchy, but Fern could tell she was simply misunderstood for her fashion sense. She had to at least try to muddle through the book, which would mean abandoning Frankenstein again. She knew Mary would understand as she picked up the volume, hoping for a good read.
A/N: Can Fern pull off a senior-level paper at her young age? We'll find out later, but first we'll check back with Binky. It's the morning after and he's in class with Brain. Will his home issues cause too many problems with his education-minded friend? Is his decision made about joining Rattles and the gang? We'll get a few more answers in Chapter Thirteen.