Skateboard Renegade Read Online Free PDF Page A

Zoey came out of her room. Seeing him, she let out a scream worthy of a grade-B horror movie. Then
     she backed into her room, slamming the door behind her.
    Zach heard the lock turn in the latch. “Zoey, it's me!” he called to her. “Open up!”
    “Z-Zach?” He heard her quaking voice from behind the door.
    “Yeah. Come on now, it's not that bad!”
    She flipped the lock and slowly opened the door—just a crack, so she could peek through at him. She quickly let out a terrified
     squeak and shut it again.
    “Zoey!”
    “Okay, okay.” She opened the door, wider this time. After looking at him soberly for about five seconds,she suddenly burst out laughing. “Zach, what did you do to yourself, you dummy?” she asked. “Omigosh! You look so gross!”
    “I do not! Shut up!” Zach shot back, feeling the sting of tears come to his eyes. Not wanting to let her see him cry, he stormed
     into his room and slammed the door behind him.
    No sooner had he collected himself than Zoey came in. Her face had changed now, from amused to angry. “Hey!” she said, narrowing
     her eyes at him. “Where'd you get the money to do all that stuff to yourself? And don't tell me mom and dad gave it to you,
     either!”
    “I, um, I had some baby-sitting money left over … ,” Zach fumbled.
    “Yeah, right,” Zoey said. “You never saw a dime you didn't spend.” And then something dawned on her. “My piggy!” she cried.
     Wheeling around, she sped back across the hall into her room.
    “Zoey, wait—!” he called after her, and sprang off the bed, hoping to prevent total disaster.
    She was shaking the piggy when he came into her room. Hearing the coins inside, she began to calm down.
    “You see?” he told her. “It's all still there. I told you.”
    She stopped shaking the pig, and stared right at him. “Oh yeah? That's what you say. But I've known you too long, you sneak!”
     She twisted open the bottom of the bank and quickly counted the money, her jaw hardening. “Aha!” she cried in furious triumph.
     “There's forty dollars missing. You thief! I'm telling!”
    “No! Wait!” he ordered in a hoarse whisper. “Don't tell. I only borrowed it—I was going to pay it right back!”
    “Sure you were.”
    “I was! With interest!”
    “You must think I'm stupid,” Zoey told him.
    Man, she always saw right through him! “Okay, okay, don't believe me,” Zach said miserably, plopping down on her bed. “Go
     ahead, tell them. My life's already a total wreck. You might as well light the match and set the whole thing on fire.” He
     was surprised to find himself crying real tears, right in front of her.
    The sight of him blubbering like that must have really shaken Zoey up, because she just stood there.Her mouth was wide open, ready to call in their parents—but she kept silent, stunned by his outpouring.
    “Go ahead,” Zach continued through stifled sobs. “I deserve it.”
    “Well,” Zoey said, “maybe you could make it up to me.”
    Zach sniffed. “How?” he asked, totally humbled.
    “You know what I really want.” Zoey was staring at him.
    “You mean … ?”
    “I want skateboarding lessons,” she said. “For me
and
Lorena. A
lot
of lessons. And they'd better be good.”
    “How many lessons?” Zach asked.
    “Let's see … I think I'm entitled to, oh, say, two lessons a week for two months. Starting tomorrow.”
    “What?!”
    “Take it or leave it.” She crossed her arms and waited for him to decide.
    Zach smiled through his tears and put a hand softly on Zoey's shoulders. “You drive a hard bargain, kid,” he told her.
    Zoey smiled, satisfied, and Zach grinned back. All in all, considering what had happened, he thought he'd gotten off pretty
     easy.
    Sure, he'd be beholden to Zoey and her friend Lorena for the next two months—but things would have been a lot worse if she'd
     told their parents. He was already a disobedient troublemaker and a liar in their eyes—all he needed was for them to