Heaven Can't Wait Read Online Free PDF Page A

the stairs like a huge and ungainly bowling ball badly thrown and bouncing down the lane.
    Rachel screamed. Brian stood there in horror. Oh, God, oh God, oh God!
    It seemed to take forever. Apparently, when you’re in spirit form, and the biggest disaster imaginable was happening, time slowed down to make sure you took in every detail—the look of shock on Chuck’s face, the smashing of an elbow into the wall, the bitter snap of bone. Finally Chuck landed in a heap on the landing.
    Oh God, I killed Chuck . Oh no, please.
    Brian teleported down the stairs and knelt by his friend. “Chuck! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it!” Brian didn’t think Chuck could hear him, but he said it anyway.
    “Someone call an ambulance,” Rachel was screaming.
    Chuck moaned. “I’m okay.” He didn’t sound okay. His voice was tight with pain. He tried to sit up and gave a little cry. “Oh, fuck, my leg!”
    In a rush something like a backlash, the energy Brian had expended with the push snapped back, draining him in an instant. His last thought before he blacked out was: I am so screwed.

Chapter Seven
     
     
    C HUCK WAS on the phone when Kevin came back from the shower. He was sitting up in bed, his cast out in front of him, his head in his hands.
    “No, that’s cool. I get it. Don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it out. Yeah, see ya, Chris.” He hung up, his face tense. He closed his eyes and rubbed them in frustration.
    Let it go. It’s not your business , Kevin thought. But he couldn’t. He and Chuck weren’t close, but it bothered Kevin to see him in pain and upset. He’d been pretty low since he got back from the hospital the day before.
    “Everything okay?” Kevin asked casually.
    Chuck looked up at him with those dark brown eyes. “This fucking leg,” he said bitterly. He shook his head as if he didn’t want to talk about it.
    Kevin debated what to say. “Are you in pain? Is there anything I can do?”
    Chuck gave him a wary look. “Nah. My professors will let me work from here, but not all my assignments can be emailed. And….” He stopped, frustrated. “Never mind. It’s not your problem.” He punched his pillow and lay down on his back, his arm over his eyes.
    Kevin knew Chuck was stuck in their room, at least for a while. He couldn’t negotiate the three flights of stairs, and the old dorm didn’t have an elevator. It suddenly occurred to Kevin what that meant. Someone was going to have to bring Chuck food, drinks, and stuff from his classes. He’d need someone to do laundry for him and all sorts of everyday things. Kevin worked at the zipper of his hoodie anxiously. He wanted to offer to help, but Chuck probably didn’t want the help of a fag . Kevin didn’t want to offer to be nice only to be slapped down. He wasn’t that stupid.
    “Guess you’ll get a new roommate. You’ll like that, huh? I wouldn’t blame you,” Chuck said from under his arm.
    “What?”
    Chuck’s voice was thick. “I’m gonna have to drop out till my leg’s better. Move back home. I don’t have a choice. My friends don’t have time to fucking babysit me.”
    Oh, man. Kevin tried to resist, he really did, but he couldn’t stop himself. “I come back to the room everyday anyway. I can bring you stuff.”
    Chuck took his arm off his eyes and looked at Kevin in disbelief. “Why would you do that, Kevin? We’re not even friends.”
    Kevin looked down at his hands, which were still fiddling with the zipper. Because I’m such a softhearted idiot. He made his nervous hands stop. “I dunno. We’ve only got a month left of classes. It would suck if you had to drop out now and lose all the work you’ve done. And it’s not that big a deal. I mean, I go over there and come back here anyway, so….”
    He looked up. Chuck was watching him, his expression both hopeful and wary. “It’s not just books though, Kevin. I can’t even get to the cafeteria or the store.”
    “I know. As long as you give me the money, I