Also Known as Rowan Pohi Read Online Free PDF

pang in my gut. "Is that what you want?"
    He nodded without a lot of enthusiasm.
    "We can keep looking," I told him.
    He spun the hatchet in his hands. "No, it's pretty cool."
    We took the little hatchet to the front of the store. Cody handed his ten-dollar bill to Mr. Kopsky, and we left.
    When we got back home, I checked our mail slot. I was excited to find a thick envelope from Whitestone Preparatory School addressed to Rowan Pohi. I took it up to our apartment, went to my bedroom, and closed the door so I could read in privacy.
    The envelope contained a personal welcome from Dr. Paul LeClerc, the headmaster of the upper school. I thought that title sounded very exclusive and private-schoolish; for some reason, it made me picture Hogwarts. There was also a form asking for certain information (phone number, Social Security number) that I had left off the original application. I found a tuition bill to the tune of $13, 848. I let out a soft whistle. As if to soften that blow, the envelope also contained lots of Whitestone paraphernalia: car stickers, a pen, a mini-pennant, even a little stack of Whitestone sticky notes.
    At the IHOP my buddies were delighted when I showed them all the Whitestone loot. Big Poobs waved the little pennant back and forth. "Rah-rah White-stone! This is awe-some!"
    "Did you check out that tuition bill?" I said. "They want about fourteen thousand bucks."
    Big Poobs smiled. "Piece of cake. Rowan's got a rich uncle, I heard."
    I made a sour face. "Rowan's got squat, and you know it. They want his Social Security number and his phone number too. I can just imagine them calling my house and having my father pick up the phone. You want to give them your phone number? Huh?"
    Marcus blinked at me. "Are you saying—"
    I shrugged. "What I'm saying is ... Look, I haven't had so much fun since my cousin Corey let me shave off half his hair, but—I don't know—maybe this is where we get off."
    Poobs stuck out his lower lip. He picked up the Whitestone car sticker and held it against the window. "But this stuff is hilarious. This is a letter from the
headmaster.
"
    "If you worked at Whitestone," Marcus told Poobs, "you'd be the bellymaster."
    Poobs grinned and patted his stomach. "Damn straight!"
    For a moment nobody said anything. Then Marcus nodded. "Bobby's right. Time to pull the plug. Soon. Let's do it tomorrow. Let's give Rowan one more day on this earth."
    So we agreed to wait until tomorrow, only it didn't turn out that way.
    I had barely gotten home from the IHOP when Marcus sent me a text:
    Rowan's sick. Stomachache or...?
    Big Poobs: Might B Ebola virus that's the one that turns your brain to diarea
    Big Poobs was a terrible speller, but I got the point. I sat on our stoop and fired off a reply.
    Relax. Rowans fine. Chill.
    Big Poobs: Not sure about that Rowan said take him to the hospital so we did
    Marcus: Yeah we're at the ER right now
    Now that I could see where this was heading, I decided to relax and go along for the ride. What else could I do?
    Â 
Me: How is he?
Marcus:
BAD
They took him to ICU
Big Poobs: Temp is up face is hot
Marcus: His nurse is hot!!! A real QT
Me: Will he get better?
Big Poobs: Worse
Marcus: Doc says his pulse is slowing ... he's bleeding from his ears
Me: TMI!
Marcus: LMAO
Marcus: Shhhhhh critical condition
Big Poobs: Emergency! Cardiac arrest!
Nobody texted anything for a full minute. I tried to be patient, but the suspense was killing me.
Me: What the & is happening????
Marcus: Cant see the letters on the keyboard
Me: Why not?
Marcus: 2 many tears
I was chuckling now, despite myself.
Me: Is he dead?
Poobs: Yeah Gdby Rowan
Marcus: Dude fought hard right to the end
Poobs: gr8fl I knew him
I paused, not sure what to say.
Me: What now?
Another long pause. Finally...
Big Poobs: We gotta bury him before he gets riga mortis
I was thinking,
Bury Rowan? How?

Me: Where?
Marcus: Meet at 10 2nite crnr of sibberson and spence
Me: OK
Marcus: Sad day
Me: ur messed