Maps Read Online Free PDF Page A

isn’t the best time to have this discussion.”
    “Benji is not my boyfriend!” Maps shrieked. He would even admit to shrieking that time.
    “Oh, sorry, son,” his father said. “Do you prefer the term partner?”
    “I prefer nothing because he’s not my boyfriend, just my friend!”
    “He’s your boyfriend,” Stacie said, nodding at Maps, as if to assure him of something he was missing. “You talk to him on the phone lots.”
    “What?” Maps said, big-eyes staring at Stacie.
    “I was in Lane’s room listening to you talk to your boyfriend on the phone before you came over. You leave your window open. And you shout!” she giggled.
    “You’ve got to be joking.”
    “It’s okay,” Stacie added. “Lane was there too. We were both listening.”
    Maps’ eyes darted across the table to Lane. Lane held up his hands defensively, the tips of his ears turning red. “Only once, earlier today. And, well, you do kind of shout.”
    “This is turning into a circus,” Maps said. “I’m leaving!”
    Maps shot out of his chair, meaning to take his napkin, shove it down onto the table, straighten his collar and leave with a very gentlemanly, “Good day to you all!” , but what happened in reality was a little different.
    When Maps went to shove his napkin onto the table, a corner snagged on his belt buckle as he raised the other end of the napkin to throw it down. The effect was somewhat of a trampoline for the little peas that Maps had forgotten were in his lap.
    Before anyone knew what was happening, it was raining—raining peas. It all seemed to happen in slow motion as Maps watched in horror as tiny little green pellets began beating down into everyone’s food, drinks, their hair, the floor, a couple of eyes. Stacie was squealing like it was Christmas, throwing her tiny hands into the air and trying to catch one.
    When all the peas had landed, and the table had fallen deathly silent, Maps held his arms stiffly at his sides. “Good day!”
    Without looking anyone in the eye, he marched out of the dining room.
    It wasn’t until he’d walked through his neighbors’ front door and into his own that he realized the napkin was still stuck to the belt buckle of his pants.
    He laughed at the humor of it. He’d been so naïve before. He’d thought once Benji had moved away from the house next door that his life was over, but now, he knew, without a single doubt in his mind, that now his life was really over.
     

Chapter Four
     
    For three weeks Maps avoided Lane and his evil little sister.
    Maps’ mother had made him call their parents the following day and apologize, which they both laughed off. Other than that, he’d had no contact with the neighbors. The few times he’d seen Lane outside washing his old piece-of-junk car or trying his best to teach Stacie to play catch, Maps had scampered off in the opposite direction, even when he could feel Lane’s eyes burning a hole into his back.
    Truth be told, he was embarrassed. A little. Okay, a lot.
    It wasn’t his fault that entire night had turned into a disaster. And normally when situations like that arose, he shrugged them off. He didn’t care what anyone thought of him—not strangers, not the other kids at school, no one. Well, besides Benji. And now Lane.
    Maps had been a total creep once or twice and sat on the ledge of his bedroom window and watched Lane soap up and rise off—his car, that is. He really was quite tall—at least five inches taller than Maps. His hair was blond-blond, not dirty, muddy blond like Maps’ own hair, and he was definitely in better shape than Maps. Much more athletic. Still, Maps couldn’t figure out what it was about Lane that kept him interested. He’d have to draw up a diagram or a list.
    Yes, he’d ask for Benji’s help, because Benji was always extraordinary at making lists—a very useful skill to have—and they’d figure it out together.
     
    The first day back to school after winter break, Maps sat in