Happenstance Read Online Free PDF Page A

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hat and ribbon flowing from the top. Sam and Julianne were always at the games
that Alder cheered at to support her, wearing buttons on their jackets
featuring her cheer picture. For her sixteenth birthday, they bought her a
shiny new Honda Accord, which she hated. She didn’t know she was lucky to take
those things for granted, that everyone didn’t get the same love and attention
that she did, so I didn’t really hold it against her. Even though I wanted to.
    Julianne sat in Mr. Barrows’s chair and grinned, her blue eyes
sparkling. We had similar coloring, the same heart-shaped face, similar dark
hair and blue eyes, so I hoped I still looked as young and beautiful as she did
when I was her age.
    Alder groaned. “What is this?”
    “It’s your assignment,” Julianne said. “Mr. Barrows said you
would know what to do, so get to it, guys. You have to finish before the end of
the period. No one can take this home.”
    Everyone but me grumbled, and Julianne blinked, clearly unhappy
at being unpopular.
    “God, this is so embarrassing!” Alder seethed.
    Julianne managed a sweet but wounded smile. “Sorry, honey. They just
needed my help.”
    By fifth hour, Alder was particularly cranky. The guys were
giving her crap about how hot her mom was, and the girls were bugging her about
why she was working as a substitute. Julianne had been a stay-at-home mom since
a week before the three of us Erins were born. Before that she was a PA for Dr.
Shuart’s clinic, but she left Alder in daycare once and couldn’t do it again.
Or that was the story, anyway. Sam was Blackwell’s general surgeon, and they
lived in a six-bedroom home around the corner and down the street from Weston.
    “What is that smell?” Sonny said loudly from the back of health
class.
    They had been on that subject all day, starting in first hour when
Brady implied that the rancid chemical smell coming from some of Mrs. Merit’s
new supplies was coming from my vagina. After that, he made a show every time
he passed me in the hall, and others caught on.
    The thought of having them all in Health might have broken me,
but for some reason, their taunts weren’t fazing me like usual.
    “Ugh,” Brady said. “Again? What the hell is that? I’ve been
smelling it all day!”
    “Maybe it’s you?” Weston said, turning around in his desk.
    I kept facing forward.
    Coach Morris turned from the chalkboard. “Is there a problem?”
    Everyone shook their heads.
    A muffled gagging noise came from the back, and then another.
Coach turned around again.
    “Sorry, Coach, but do you not smell that?” Sonny asked.
    “No,” he said, looking around, confused. “Smell what?” he
sniffed, and everyone broke into laughter. The coach was not amused. “Either
pay attention to the lesson or get out!” he shouted, pointing to the door.
Everyone silenced.
    “Yeah, dicks,” Weston whispered.
    Coach flipped around and his eyes targeted Weston. “What did you
say, Gates?”
    Weston swallowed. “I said, ‘Yeah, dicks.’”
    Coach Morris shifted his weight, preparing to lay into Weston. “And
who are the dicks you’re referring to?”
    “That would be Brady, Sir, and anyone else complaining of a
nonexistent smell.”
    Coach hesitated then turned back around.
    “Fuck you, punk,” Brady said under his breath.
    “Suck my cock, Beck!” Weston said, standing up.
    “All right, enough!” Coach Morris’s voice boomed.
    Mrs. Pyles walked in, her eyes wide. “Is everything okay in here?”
    Coach glared at Brady and Weston. “Get out of my classroom. Both
of you. Now.”
    Weston grabbed his backpack and stormed out.
    Brady held up his hands. “I didn’t do anything? Why are you
throwing me out?”
    “Get out, Brady!”
    “But I didn’t do anything! This is crap! Ask anyone!”
    Coach Morris looked over at Mrs. Pyles. “Mrs. Pyles, would you
please escort Mr. Beck out of my classroom before I lose my temper?”
    Mrs. Pyles stared at him for a moment then