The Alliance Read Online Free PDF

read that far in your Bible.”
    For the first time, Cory frowned. “Don’t take that tone with me, Scott King. I have a right to express my opinion. You’re always cranky after practice. Drink your smoothie and you’ll feel better.”
    But she was wrong. How could I feel better, knowing she believed this? “Sorry, Cory.” I said.
    She laid her hand on my arm and started smiling again. “We don’t have to agree on everything. We’re each allowed to have our own opinions. This is just something we’ll have to agree to disagree on.”
    That was her solution. Agree to disagree. Like disagreeing that Blake Shelton was a better singer than Kenny Chesney. Or that burgers were better than chicken. But it didn’t work like that.
    â€œNo, Cory, we can’t do that. Because if we agree to disagree, you get to walk away and continue hating and people are still being bullied. And you’re a part of that.”
    I handed her back the smoothie, took my clipboard, and walked away.

I
    sat in the computer lab, glaring so hard at the petition that I thought it might actually catch fire. Right at the top, where the spaces for the three faculty members to sign sat. Even if every student in the building signed, the whole petition was worthless without those three signatures.
    Ricky slid into the chair next to me. “You have got this, like,
death look
on your face. You must really hate that paper.”
    I laughed. Leave it to asexual Ricky to snap me out of my funk. “I
do
hate this paper. And I hate what people think of me. And I hate that what people think of me is wrong. I’m just Hater McHaterson today.”
    â€œWell, Ms. McHaterson, let’s see what we can do about that. Nothing can be that bad. What’s up?”
    â€œI asked all my teachers today if they would sign off on the GSA. Five teachers, five nos. Not just nos. Each no was served with my very own are-you-crazy look.” I pushed the petition away from me. “Winston was right. The teachers here hate me.”
    Ricky rubbed my shoulders. “You just asked the wrong teachers. There are
tons
of teachers you can ask. You can’t give up because
five
people said no. Nobody hates you.”
    I snorted. “Nobody hates me? Check this out.”
    I got out my phone and called up my Twitter account. Most of my feed was me talking to my friends about school, homework, and movies. I scrolled down to yesterday and pointed to a tweet from someone named @VictorEE. It said:
    @CMendoza No 1 will cry at you’re funearl, dyke.
    â€œI don’t know what offends me more,” I said. “The wrong use of ‘you’re’ or that the idiot can’t spell
funeral
.”
    Ricky leaned in. “Carmen, that’s like a death threat.”
    I shook my head. “No,
this
is a death threat.” I reached into my messenger bag and showed him the clipping of Jamie Ballard’s obituary.
    Ricky’s eyes got wide. “You’ve got to tell someone.”
    â€œWhoever it is just wants to get in my head. That’s what they did to Jamie Ballard. Well, they won’t do it to me. If I tell someone, word will get around and they’ll know they got to me.”
    Ricky didn’t look convinced, but he let it go. “You said you talked to five teachers. You’ve got six.”
    I nodded. “Haven’t asked Carney yet. I’ve been putting it off. She’s awesome, and if she says no, it might really be over.”
    He glanced at his watch. “Well, you’re in luck,” he said. “Film class is next. You’re going to ask her to sign, she’s going to say yes, and the world will be a happy place again. Right?” He gathered his stuff and made for the door.
    My phone vibrated as another tweet from VictorEE appeared in my feed.
    @CMendoza heard your starting a gsa don’t even try it
    I stared at it a long time, wanting to ignore it.