Love and Other Unknown Variables Read Online Free PDF Page A

of his performance to ask, “Did I look like this?” She snorted and shook her head. It took 7.27 minutes of class before Ms. Finch could regain control.
    On Thursday, he sneezed every time she said the word, “story.” She was lecturing on the structure of the short story. Fifty-three sneezes. Tobias even got up to get him the box of tissues from the bookcase in the back.
    I do my best to keep my head down in class and never make eye contact with my classmates. I don’t want anyone thinking I’ve got anything to do with this crap.
    Today, James’s plan A had been to fall out of his chair and fake a head injury, but Ms. Finch declared we all needed a special Friday treat (her words, not mine). We grab our bags and follow her to the grassy courtyard, where we sit cross-legged in a circle.
    Thwarted, James reverts to plan B.
    “Buzzzzzzzzzz.”
    The buzzing noise is coming from my left, where James is sitting, looking overly interested in a wrinkle in his pants. On my right, Greta groans. Across the circle, Ms. Finch is reading to us from the paperback book.
    “Buzzzzz. Buzzzzzzzzzzz.”
    This time Greta leans behind me and smacks James on the back of his head, denting his kinky black curls. James gives her a devilish grin and, looking right at her, he barely parts his lips and goes, “Buzzzzzzzzzz.”
    Two people over¸ Debbie French’s blond ponytail starts swinging around as she whips her head from side to side looking for the phantom insect. Once Debbie starts flinching, the movement moves around the circle like a ripple, until it stops at Ms. Finch. She continues to read.
    “Buzzzzzzzzz.”
    Debbie looks at me, and I curse inside for letting her catch my attention. She mouths, “Is that you?”
    I give my head one solid shake.
    With my response, she hops up. “Um, excuse me? Ms. Finch. There is a bee somewhere. I don’t, um, like bees.”
    Ms. Finch looks up from her book. “I’m sure we’ll be fine,” she says, a soothing smile lining her face. Debbie’s eyes are wild, but she nods and sits back down.
    James stifles a laugh on one side of me, while Greta grinds her teeth. James’s being pretty stupid, but the pandemonium is cool from a sociological perspective. James gives me an elbow nudge, a silent plea to join him. Greta kicks my foot.
    “Buzzzzzzzzzz,” James hums more loudly.
    A breeze blows through the courtyard. Small vortexes of trash swirl in the corners. One bit of paper escapes and drifts our way, brushing Debbie’s neck as it makes its way around the back of our circle.
    Debbie screams, jumping to her feet and swatting her neck with both hands. She takes off running for the doors to the school. Her panic spreads out behind her like the tail of a comet. Justin sprints after her. He’s allergic to bee stings. Half the girls and a good handful of the guys jump to their feet and alternate between scanning the area for the illusory insect and shooting me questioning looks. I remain still, arms crossed over my chest, staring at a spot in the grass straight ahead.
    James stands, his hands up like a ninja ready to kick the bee’s ass. Greta jumps up and starts swatting at James, which others misinterpret. They think Greta is rescuing him from the bee, but she’s just pissed. Mob mentality takes over and everyone is standing and ducking and swatting the air.
    Ms. Finch and I are the only two people left sitting in the circle. She closes her book, and watches me from across the grass. I want to look away, but her eyes are so similar to Charlotte’s. I’m trapped in them.
    A flash of heat burns my ears as I realize Ms. Finch thinks I’ve orchestrated this. I’m the only one not reacting to the attack of the invisible bees.
    Greta wallops James in the chest with both her hands and he falls backward over me. I’m swept up in a cascade of limbs. When I right myself again, Ms. Finch is no longer studying me. Instead, she’s motioning for everyone not swept away in the wave of panic to follow