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
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.