Everything is Changed Read Online Free PDF Page A

there’s nothing. He doesn’t even smile congratulations. And that hurts more than anything. I have to find my game face. If Dad’s going to play like this, then so am I.
    â€˜Thanks, Mr A,’ I say with my most winning smile.
    â€˜Fraser. Call me Fraser.’
    Couldn’t be more clichéd if he tried. But I nod like I’d be honoured and I turn just in time to hear Tone swear loudly as he misses the ball several times before whacking it off course even worse than Dad did.
    â€˜Jesus, Tone, you need some more lessons,’ says his dad as the four of us start our walk down the hill to find our balls. Within a couple of paces, I find myself out in front with Fraser as the other two trail behind on this sunny birthday morning.

jake
    I’m waiting like a freak outside Alex’s house. I’ve been here for an hour, sitting on the hot concrete and leaning against the timber fence. While I’ve been waiting, about a hundred SUVs have driven past. Everyone must drive the same car around here. Luckily none of them have belonged to Alex’s mum.
    I can’t believe this is where he lives now. This mansion. The front yard would fit my whole block of flats in it. It’s one of those streets that look like it knows where it is. There’s nothing out of place. No bins knocked over. No old cars parked on the kerb. No mailboxes full of catalogues. No cats balancing on fences waiting for someone to let them in. Even the front gardens are neat. I’m surprised nobody has called the police about me lurking here in my blacks with my shaved head.
    I see Alex cross the main road at the bottom of the street. He’s in his fancy school uniform and he seems to be alone. I don’t get up. Not yet. I’m going to stay down here for as long as I can. I don’t want to seem too eager. I wait for him to look up, to notice me. But before he can, some other guy runs up behind him and jumps on his back, landing half on his shoulder and laughing. Alex doesn’t laugh but the other kid doesn’t seem to notice. This was a bad idea. There’s no way we can talk in front of his friend.
    I hear the short guy saying something about some girl call Lucy, and then, before he can answer, Alex sees me. And the first thing he does is look at his friend, like he’s worried we’ll be seen together, and somehow that’s shameful. I hate him for that. ‘Whatcha doing here?’ he says, stopping about a metre away.
    The other guy looks from me to Alex and a broad smile works its way across his face. ‘You crashed that party,’ he says to me in a voice that’s slow and measured. Now I remember him. He was the smug one.
    â€˜Tone, go inside and see if you can find something to eat. I’ll just be a minute,’ says Alex, holding out a bunch of keys, but keeping his eyes on me like I’m going to do something stupid, like he needs to watch me all the time just in case.
    â€˜You trying to get rid of me, Alex?’ Tone laughs.
    Alex doesn’t answer and it’s pretty clear he is. And eventually Tone snatches the keys and walks down the path towards the house.
    Alex steps closer, his eyes locked on mine. But I’m not scared of him. ‘We need to talk.’
    He drops his bag on the ground, as if he’s preparing to fight me. I wonder how it came to this.
    â€˜I’m going to the police,’ I say quietly, just in case his friend can hear.
    He looks down. Maybe he’s avoiding me.
    â€˜I just can’t feel like this anymore,’ I say.
    He nods then and looks up from under his fringe. I see the brown of his eyes, but the warmth’s gone. I wonder if it reappears when I’m not around.
    â€˜You planning on telling them about me too?’
    â€˜I don’t know … maybe …’
    He clenches a fist and I imagine him wishing he could smash me senseless so I’d forget everything.
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜I just