Book Read Free

What About Will

Page 9

by Ellen Hopkins


  What? Go chirp with a flock of girls?

  “Never mind. If you want,

  come eat with Bram and me,

  that is, if you brought your lunch.”

  I did. Thanks, Trace.

  We take our lunch boxes

  outside, wait for Bram

  on the grass beneath a big tree.

  I squint, scoping out the parking lot.

  What are you looking at?

  “Just trying to see if my brother’s

  car is out there. It’s not. He got

  sick right as we got here.”

  Does he bring you every day?

  “He’s supposed to, but lately

  he hasn’t been too reliable.”

  Bram Comes out the Door

  I wave him over.

  He smiles until he notices

  who’s going to eat with us.

  Hey, Bram, says Cat.

  What are you doing here?

  I go here now. Duh.

  That’s right. He wasn’t there

  when we talked about it

  after the game on Saturday.

  “She’s on my squad.

  We’re doing this really cool—”

  Why don’t you eat with the girls?

  Mostly because I don’t know

  any of them. But I’ll eat

  by myself if you want me to.

  I think he’s going to say

  yeah, which would be bad,

  because I don’t want her to.

  “No. Hang with us.

  It’s okay, right, Bram?”

  He gives in. Yeah. I guess.

  We unpack our lunches.

  Cat and Bram inspect theirs,

  but I know what’s in mine

  because I made it:

  PB & J, which I have way too often.

  One banana.

  One juice pouch.

  One granola bar.

  “Is that all you’re having?”

  I ask Cat. “An avocado, crackers,

  and a bunch of raw veggies?”

  Yeah, comments Bram.

  You on a diet or something?

  Hey, there’s ranch dip, she says.

  Anyway, I have a huge breakfast.

  Which, in case you don’t know,

  should be your biggest meal

  of the day. So, I like a light lunch.

  That might be, but when Bram

  gives me the extra brownie

  his mom made and I offer to split

  it with her, Cat is happy to take it.

  Like, who turns down brownies?

  She’s Steady

  Like, she rolls with everything

  tossed her way. So I ask,

  “Hey, Cat. Why’d you guys

  move to Vegas? I mean, why not

  New York or Chicago or Paris?”

  Dad got a coaching job at UNLV.

  “Baseball, right? But their season

  is most of the way over. Why now?”

  They lost a coach not too long

  ago. He died in a car wreck.

  Oh, yeah. I heard about

  that, says Bram.

  He was my dad’s friend.

  They went to college together.

  In fact, he got Dad the job.

  It was supposed to start next year.

  “Isn’t it hard to change schools

  now? Did you like your old one?”

  It was okay. But I’ve changed

  schools lots of times before,

  so it’s no big deal. It was harder

  for my brother. He had to leave

  this girl he really liked behind.

  I thought you had two brothers.

  Yeah, but only one of them moved

  with us. Nicolás is a freshman.

  “Does he go here, too?”

  No. He’s finishing the year online.

  I could’ve done that, too, but

  they don’t offer advanced classes

  for sixth graders. I’d be totally bored.

  What about your other brother?

  Cat frowns and she gets

  this weird look in her eyes.

  We don’t know where Mateo is.

  One day we woke up and he was gone.

  “Like, kidnapped?”

  That was one theory. But there

  wasn’t any ransom demand.

  The cops think he ran away.

  The Bell Rings

  And that’s probably good.

  I want more info

  about Cat’s brother

  but don’t think I should ask.

  Still, all through math

  and computer science,

  my mind wanders away

  from what it should

  stay focused on.

  The more I get to know

  Cat, the more it seems like

  we have lots in common.

  Baseball

  GATE

  Robot building

  Messed-up brothers

  Weird how two

  way different people,

  from way different kinds

  of families, can share

  things like that.

  Wonder if Victor Sánchez

  is going out with a lady

  who can cook

  awesome enchiladas.

  After School

  There’s a line of cars

  out front, waiting.

  One by one, kids climb

  into the appropriate vehicle.

  Bram’s MPU is near the front,

  so he’s gone right away.

  I don’t see Will.

  Wonder if I’ll have to

  call Dad about a ride.

  Cat waits with me.

  I recognize her car

  as it approaches,

  but Victor isn’t driving.

  It’s the lady I saw that first

  day Cat came to practice.

  “Is that your mom?”

  No. Iva is Dad’s personal assistant.

  “And chauffeur?”

  Only when he’s busy.

  “Does she make enchiladas?”

  I don’t know. Why?

  “No reason. See you tomorrow.”

  I’m the Last Kid

  Left standing here,

  and I’m just about to go

  back inside to dig out

  my phone when I see

  Will’s car come zooming

  along the boulevard.

  He whips it

  into the entrance,

  screeches to a stop

  in front of me, drops

  the passenger window.

  Get in, dude. Let’s go!

  I duck to look past

  the opened glass.

  “Guess you’re feeling better?”

  Yeah, man. Come on!

  He’s all fired up, fingers tapping

  the steering wheel, like he’s

  had too much coffee or something.

  I kind of want to walk home.

  But it’s three miles from here,

  and that would be one very hot stroll.

  When I get in the car,

  he takes off without waiting

  for me to strap in, turns

  the opposite direction from home.

  “Where are we going?”

  The mall. I need new shoes,

  and Foot Locker’s having a sale.

  I glance down at his feet.

  Those Adidas look okay.

  Bett
er than mine, in fact.

  But whatever. I like the mall,

  especially on weekdays

  when it isn’t so crowded.

  It’s a pretty good sale.

  Will picks up a $200 pair

  of Nikes for $129. But now

  I’m wondering where

  the money came from.

  “Hey. You still have to pay

  me back, you know.”

  Oh, yeah, right.

  He hands me a twenty.

  Don’t worry. I’ll get you

  the rest, and I’ll spring

  for the food court now, too.

  We Head That Direction

  But on the way over, Will spots

  someone clear across the mall.

  His eyes narrow, like he’s looking

  real hard to make sure the guy

  is who he thinks he is.

  Hey. I need to talk to my buddy

  over there. I’ll meet you at

  Hot Dog on a Stick, okay?

  “Okay.” If it’s corn dogs

  for dinner, I’m having two.

  Plus, the lemonade is good.

  I take my time,

  glancing back over

  my shoulder, playing

  private investigator.

  What’s Will up to?

  I see him reach into

  his pocket for . . .

  money? He keeps it

  tucked into his fist, and—

  Trace?

  My head snaps to the left.

  “Skye. Wow. I haven’t

  seen you in a long time.”

  It has been a while.

  How are you? And how’s Will?

  I shrug. “Up and down.

  Some days are better

  than others. He’s right

  over there.” I point.

  Skye

  follows my finger.

  Smiles

  when she sees him.

  Scowls

  when she notices who he’s with.

  “What’s the matter?”

  Nothing. It’s just that guy

  he’s talking to goes to my school.

  He creeps me out.

  “Why?”

  I don’t know. He’s just off.

  Some people say he sells drugs.

  I think of the money

  balled up in Will’s hand.

  But when I look over,

  they’re just goofing around.

  Still, There’s Something

  About the other dude that is . . .

  Yeah, “creepy” works.

  He’s tall, but his bony

  legs poke out of his shorts

  like drumsticks, and

  his peach-colored shirt

  is probably three sizes too big.

  His hair is way long, thin,

  and even from here I can see

  it could use shampoo.

  Plus, his skin looks bleached,

  like the sun never touches it.

  He reminds me of a corpse,

  or maybe a vampire.

  Well, better run. I’m supposed

  to meet a friend in a few.

  Tell Will I still miss him.

  “Do you think he’s okay?

  I mean, hanging out with him?”

  I tilt my head toward the two of them.

  I don’t think Will’s been okay

  for quite a while, you know?

  I wish she wasn’t right.

  I Wait for Will

  For a long time, sitting here

  breathing in the yummy scent

  of fried sausages on sticks.

  My stomach growls,

  and I decide to spend some

  of the twenty he gave me,

  even though he still owes

  me forty more, and promised

  this food was on him.

  One hot dog on a stick.

  One cheese—pepper jack—on a stick.

  One order of fries.

  One lemonade.

  That’s most of the twenty.

  And way too much tasty grease.

  I’m munching away

  when Will finally appears.

  Guess you were hungry.

  “Guess I sat here long

  enough to figure maybe

  I’d better eat or starve to death.

  This cost me sixteen bucks, BTW.”

  I’ll get it back to you. I barely

  have enough to cover my food.

  I Shove a French Fry

  In my mouth to keep from

  saying something mean

  or asking a question

  he won’t answer anyway.

  He manages to pay

  for three corn dogs plus

  a drink, joins me at the table.

  I swallow the bite in my mouth.

  “I saw Skye. She said to tell

  you she still misses you.”

  It’s enough to make him mad,

  don’t ask me why. I can tell

  by the way he goes all stiff.

  But all he says is, Cool.

  I take another bite.

  Chew slowly, deciding

  if I should spit it out.

  Not the food, the question

  that’s bugging me.

  He’s going to get mad.

  But I don’t care.

  “People at her school

  think your vampire friend

  sells drugs. Does he?”

  Now Will goes ballistic.

  She told you that? Well, you

  listen to me. As far as I know,

  he does not sell drugs. Are you

  saying you think I buy them?

  People turn to stare,

  so I try to calm him down.

  “No, no. That’s not what I meant.

  It’s just, the dude creeps Skye

  out, and me, too. He looks like

  Vladimir Tod, right?”

  Vlad—Who’s that?

  “You know, the vampire.

  From that book Eighth Grade

  Bites. Well, it’s actually a series—”

  I don’t know what you’re talking

  about. Finish eating, okay?

  At least he quit yelling.

  We Toss Our Trash

  And start toward the exit

  closest to where Will parked.

  Ahead, between us and the door,

  there’s some kind of commotion.

  Two people are arguing,

  but I can only see one, who’s tall

  and standing in front of the other,

  back turned toward us.

  Security is nowhere in sight.

  A young couple passes the trouble

  and I think the guy says something,

  but then he steers his girl quickly away.

  As we get closer, I recognize

  the drumstick legs and baggy

  shirt. The tall one is the vampire,

  harassing someone smaller.

  He turns slightly and his victim

  comes into view. It’s a slender

  girl with brass-blond hair, and

  I’m pretty sure I know her.

  Her voice is also familiar.

  Do not touch me again!

  “Hey,” I tell Will. “That’s Skye.”

  She’s trying to move past

  Vlad, who steps in her way.

  Come on, baby, he sneers.

  I’m not going to hurt you.

  He reaches ou
t, grabs

  her arm with one hand,

  runs the other hand down

  the length of her cheek.

  Leave me alone! Skye sounds

  totally freaked out.

  “Do something, Will.”

  Like what?

  “He’s your ‘friend.’

  Tell him to stop.”

  Skye can take care of herself.

  He can’t be serious!

  Fine. I’ll handle it.

  I run.

  Insert myself between them.

  Nudge Skye backward.

  Look into the dude’s eyes.

  They’re a long way up.

  “Quit bothering her.”

  He Looks Down

  And what I see in his red-

  rimmed eyes makes me shiver.

  No fear. No apology.

  More like amusement,

  but it’s the kind he might

  feel for a pesky fly while

  holding one of those bug-

  zapper things.

  He reaches around me,

  pets Skye’s hair.

  Whatcha gonna do if I won’t,

  little man? Beat me up?

  Where’s Will?

  I puff up as big as I can.

  “I could try.”

  No, Trace, says Skye. It’s okay.

  We can just leave. Right, Jackson?

  Finally, Will interferes.

  He taps Jackson (dumb name

  for a vampire) on the shoulder.

  That’s my little brother.

  He’s just a kid. You don’t want

  to hurt him, do you?

  Fists Raised

  Jackson wheels around,

  ready to let fly.

  Will backs away, ducks.

  But when the vampire

  sees who’s standing there,

  he drops his hands.

  Nah. Don’t want to hurt him.

  In fact, I gotta respect the tadpole.

  But you—he points at me—

  oughta be more careful. Some

  people aren’t as nice as me.

  “You’re so nice you pick on

  girls. Haven’t you ever heard

  of this thing called consent?”

  Everyone freezes.

  But, hey, I’m not about

  to wait for him to change

  his mind. “Come on, Skye.”

  I turn and push her toward

  the exit. As we leave, I hear

  Jackson laugh way too loud.

  Your brother has more grit

  than brains, he tells Will.

  Actually, I’m shaking.

  But I’m also proud of myself.

  And disappointed in Will.

 

‹ Prev