Grind Read Online Free PDF Page B

a misunderstanding,” I said to Nevin. “That’s all. It’s nothing.”
    â€œSure…nothing,” Nevin said, although it was obvious he didn’t believe me either.
    â€œIf we’re all done, we better get to class,” Wally said.
    â€œI’m not going to class,” Nevin said.
    I was really starting to like this guy.
    â€œWhat are you going to do?” Wally asked.
    â€œI’m going to spend the day in the computer lab researching skating web sites to see what works and what doesn’t, and then I’ll set up the framework for our site.”
    â€œThey’ll catch you if you cut the whole day and hang around,” I said. I knew that from first-hand experience.
    â€œYou don’t understand,” Nevin said. “I won’t be
cutting
classes. I’m
allowed
to spend my time that way if I want.”
    â€œYou’re allowed to cut classes?” I asked.
    â€œYeah. I’m so far ahead in everything that they let me do pretty much anything I want.”
    â€œAnything?” I asked.
    He shrugged. “Anything. I’m not even supposed to be in this school.”
    â€œWhat school are you supposed to be in?” I asked.
    â€œHomelands.”
    â€œBut Homelands is a middle school.”
    â€œAnd I’m supposed to be in middle school… grade seven.”
    That would explain why he was so small and looked so young. “Then what are you doing in high school?” I asked.
    â€œIt’s like people say. I’m really,
really
smart. I’ll see you guys after school.”

Chapter Seven
    I tapped my foot against the board. I stopped myself. I was trying hard not to look as nervous as I actually felt. It was a quarter past five—fifteen minutes later than we’d agreed to meet. I was here on time. Wally was early. Nevin, equipped with a fancy, expensive, digital video camera and another digital still camera, had arrived right on the dot. He’d excitedly tried to explain all thefeatures of the cameras, but I couldn’t follow his techno-geek speak and just nodded as if I understood.
    â€œShe should be here by now,” I said.
    â€œShe’s not usually on time for things. Did you think that cheating on her would make her start arriving on time?” Wally asked.
    â€œI didn’t cheat on her!” I protested.
    Wally looked shocked. “What would you call taking another girl to a movie and making out with her?”
    â€œFirst off, I didn’t
take
her to the movie. We just sort of met there.”
    â€œI believe that about as much as Lisa did,” Wally said.
    I ignored him. “And second, we didn’t make out. We kissed a couple of times. And really, it was more like
she
kissed
me
.”
    â€œYou poor baby. Did that mean old girl overpower you and get you in a liplock?”
    I fought the urge to say that at least
I
could get a girl to kiss me. I was learning when it was smart to keep my mouth shut—a painful lesson that had taken a lot of years to figure out.
    â€œAre we going to get started?” Wally asked.
    â€œSoon, she’ll be here soon.”
    â€œWe can do this without Lisa. You and I are both better skaters than she is,” Wally said.
    â€œWe’re better skaters, but she’s a better
girl
skater,” I said. “Having a girl on the site might get us more hits from girls who are skaters and from guys who like seeing girl skaters.”
    â€œI guess that makes sense,” Wally said. “I just thought that you might want her involved for another reason.”
    â€œWhat other reason?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.
    â€œLike maybe if you could get her to spend some time with you, she might forget what happened,” Wally said.
    â€œHow about if we just skate and stop talking?” I suggested.
    â€œWe can do that.” Wally turned around. “Hey, Nevin, you ready?”
    â€œYeah…sure…I