Ordinaries: Shifters Book II (Shifters series 2) by Douglas Pershing, Angelia Pershing

say. “She’s just a computer.”
    “Well,” Ryland says to me. “She doesn’t have to look like that and talk all disgustingly sugar-sweet all the time.”
    “The way I look does not please you?” Mona asks with a concerned expression.
    “Not really,” Ryland snaps at her.
    “Maybe this is better?” Mona asks as she morphs into a perfect replica of Clay.
    Clay’s eyes go wide as he gets a huge grin on his face. “Hey, that’s me.”
    I stare and say, “Wow! That’s totally cool.”
    “Or, maybe this form will please you more?” Mona says as she changes to an exact twin of Kai.
    Ryland is taken back. She wrinkles her forehead and shakes her head saying, “Why do you think that would be better?”
    “Based on your biometric patterns,” Mona says, still in the form of a Kai twin, “This form causes significant changes in your blood flow patterns, breathing, and body temperature.”
    Ryland’s mouth is now hanging open.
    “In humans these patterns suggest physical attraction,” Mona explains. “Do you not find it more pleasing?”
    Kai tries to hide his smirk.
    I can’t hide mine. “I knew it!” I blurt out. “You like him! You’re awesome, Mona!”
    Ryland is now shaking her head violently. “I do not find it pleasing, and there’s definitely no physical stuff, or whatever you said!”
    Mona changes back into her old form and states, “We have arrived in Siberia. Please be careful and come back soon. I will be waiting for you.”
    Gale and Viktor get up and start heading out the door that has magically appeared along the wall. We all get up except for Ryland, who is now sitting with a scowl on her face and arms crossed over her chest.
    I smirk and reach my hand out to her, teasing, “Come on, lover girl. Shall we disembark?”
    Ryland huffs and ignores my hand, walking straight toward the door. “I don’t like this ship one bit. And Mona can suck it.”
    I look around like this was the most fun ever and step off the ship into the cold wasteland of Siberia.
    –RYLAND –
    Mona is a total little . . . Ugh! First, she’s all sweet to stupid, annoying Mole Man and actually enjoying his inane drivel. Then, she assumes she knows something about me and without even verifying if she is, in fact, correct she proceeds to tell everyone. And even if it were true, she has no right to tell anyone my business anyway.
    I walk outside into the freezing cold snow. It’s July, people! What’s with this weather? Stupid, backwards country!
    Immediately, Clay grabs my arm and pulls me to the side. I look around to see if anyone is paying attention, but everyone else is huddling around Viktor, who is looking at some tiny screen in his hand.
    “I just wanted to say thank you,” Clay smiles at me.
    “For what?” I ask, confused, completely thrown off by this unexpected gratitude.
    He shrugs. “Oh, and I don’t mind a challenge.” His smirk widens, and he winks at me.
    “Umm . . . Excuse me?” I stammer.
    “Kai,” Clay shrugs, casting a playful look at our companions. “You two aren’t together, so I don’t mind if you like him. I don’t mind a little healthy competition.”
    I’m flabbergasted. “I-I don’t like Kai,” I manage.
    Clay shrugs again. “Either way, I don’t mind.”
    Then he leans forward out of nowhere and kisses me. It isn’t some super-romantic world-altering, time-stopping kiss. It was just a peck on the lips, but it is still my first kiss.
    Yes, it’s my first kiss. Just because I happen to be popular doesn’t mean that I go around kissing every boy that asks me out. Don’t look so surprised.
    Then Clay sprints the twenty or so yards to Mole Man’s posse without another word. He just kisses me and runs away.
    I stand there completely stunned. In the freezing cold snow in Siberia, I am completely at a loss for words. What’s happening to my life?
    One minute I was a completely normal middle school girl with parents and a family. Next thing I know, I’m some kind of