In a Flash Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Kids were using them to text message answers to each other during tests.”
    â€œThat’s just an excuse. Just don’t allow them on during tests. He also banned iPods.”
    My hand instinctively went down to touch the pocket where my iPod was.
    â€œAnd once he banned them, he started to take them away from kids whenever he saw one,” she said. “That can’t even be legal.”
    â€œI don’t think he’d do anything illegal,” Oswald said.
    â€œHe did give them back at the end of the year,” she admitted. “Along with all the hats he took. If a kid wore a hat, he took it.”
    â€œIf he takes hats, then don’t wear a hat,” I said.
    â€œHe also did random locker searches,” she said.
    â€œWho cares? He can look in my locker any time he wants,” Oswald said. “He doesn’t need my permission.”
    â€œWhat he’d need to search your locker is a gas mask,” I said. “Are you ever going to wash your gym clothes?”
    â€œThey’re aging. Like a fine wine or cheese.”
    â€œI guess it’s working. They smell sort of like cheese.”
    â€œWould you two stop!” Julia snapped. “I’m trying to be serious.”
    â€œYou don’t have to
try
to be serious,” I said under my breath.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œNothing,” I said. Nothing I wanted to repeat.
    â€œAnd that ‘my-door-is-always-open’ line of his is just that, a line,” she said. “I tried to go and see him earlier, and his door was not only closed, but the secretary said he was going to be busy all day.”
    Oswald started to laugh.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?” Julia asked.
    I knew what was so funny. It was better coming from me than him.
    â€œI was in his office before lunch,” I said.
    â€œYou? What were you doing in his office?” Julia demanded. “Were you in trouble?”
    â€œNo, of course not. He just wanted to talk to me.”
    â€œWhat did he want to talk to you about?”
    â€œLots of things,” I said, trying to be vague. “You know, about the whole thing with Frankie’s and me being suspended before that.”
    â€œAnd don’t forget the leadership part,” Oswald said.
    I felt like reaching out and smacking him, but he was too far across the table.
    â€œWhat does that mean?” Julia said.
    I really didn’t want to answer, but there wasn’t much choice.
    â€œHe thinks that there are leaders in the school.”
    â€œLike student council,” Julia said.
    I shrugged. “Right, yeah. But he also thinks that there are other people who can be leaders. He thinks I’m one of them.”
    Julia started to laugh, and I instantly felt offended.
    â€œYou don’t think I can be a leader?”
    â€œI think you
could
be a leader,” she said.
    â€œCould?”
    â€œThat Frankie’s thing proved you can be a great leader. But maybe that was only a fluke. You refused to even run for student council.”
    â€œI didn’t want to run for council.”
    â€œYou don’t want to do anything lately except hang around, watch TV, play video games and do those stupid flash mob things.”
    â€œMr. Roberts doesn’t think flash mobs are stupid,” I said.
    They both looked at me with surprise. “We were just talking and I mentioned them to him. I don’t know why. It just slipped out, and then he wanted to know more. He said they sounded interesting.”
    â€œNot interesting. Stupid,” Julia said.
    â€œFlash mobs are not nearly as stupid as student government!” Oswald protested.
    â€œStudent government is not stupid—”
    â€œFlash mobs don’t
have
to be stupid,” I said, cutting Julia off.
    Oswald and Julia looked at me.
    â€œIt’s just that I have an idea for a new flash mob.”
    â€œCount me in,” Oswald said.
    â€œAnd count me out,” Julia