Breaking Point Read Online Free PDF Page A

to me like that? But instead of giving the kid my own real thoughts about him or this whole charade, I laughed. “Why don’t you tell me what you really feel?” I asked sarcastically.
    That got just the slightest hint of a smile.
    â€œYou do know I’m here because I broke a couple of laws, right?” I asked.
    â€œYeah. Duh. And you think I’m here as a reward for being good?”
    â€œDunno. What’d you do?”
    â€œAccidentally stabbed a kid at school?”
    â€œAccidentally?”
    â€œIt was his knife. He was coming at me.”
    â€œBut you took the rap?” I asked.
    â€œI took the knife. And we were fighting. Shit happens. It wasn’t like I was trying to kill him or anything.”
    â€œIs that why you’re so unhappy?”
    â€œNo. I’m used to getting blamed for things that aren’t my fault.”
    â€œThen what is it?”
    He looked straight at me again, now seeming older. Much older. “Hey, Cameron, or whatever your freaking name is, let’s pretend we like each other so we can get through this. So I can go home at the end of the day, and you can look like you did your good deed for the day and go back to your bunk bed. But don’t try to be my big brother.”
    Then he looked away.
    â€œDeal,” I said.
    â€œGreat.” And he smiled the fakest smile I’d ever seen.
    Things didn’t improve much after that, but we did get through the day. I showed him the kayaks and let him sit in one on dry land. We had lunch together, and I showed him my room. We made some small talk, but he never lost the attitude. I got really pissed off at him a few times but held back from saying anything nasty.
    And when he got back on the bus, he didn’t bother to say goodbye.
    When he was gone, Chris came over to me. “How’d it go?”
    â€œGreat. He’s got a few issues, but deep down I think he’s a good kid.”
    â€œHe was the toughest one of the lot. I assigned him to you. You know why?”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œâ€™Cause he reminded me of you,” Chris said. “All that hurt. And attitude.”
    â€œI think maybe we bonded,” I lied to him, reminding myself this was all about appearances and looking like I was dependable.
    â€œYou’re not a very good liar,” he said. “But I give you credit for making it through the day without smacking him. That’s a step in the right direction.” And Chris walked off, leaving me sitting there thinking about Philip, feeling truly sorry for him and wishing I had done a better job of making friends with the kid. And then suddenly I realized I wasn’t feeling sorry for him. I was feeling sorry for me.

Chapter Eight
    So after my shining performance as a mentor for a young hoodlum, I was thinking I could get away with just about anything. I’d been able to sneak down the hall and talk to Brianna for four nights in a row. But on her last night in isolation, things were different.
    Chris was bunking in the hall. He said it was because the screen was out in his room and there were too many mosquitoes, and he said he couldn’t sleep with the window closed. But maybe he’d heard rumors about me and Brianna.
    I was pretty worried, because Brianna had been getting more and more edgy. In fact, I was scared that she would make a run for it as soon as she was let out of isolation. To be honest, the girl was getting crazier. But she had me hooked. I didn’t want to lose her. And I had a feeling that if she ran on her own, she would be in big trouble. I’m not trying to say I’m some knight in shining armor or anything. I’m nobody’s hero, but I think she needed me.
    When I saw her the morning of her release, she looked frantic. I knew that she’d been in a comfortable room and she’d had food and she’d been safe. This whole summer camp for bad kids was a piece of cake compared to the real