The Confession Read Online Free PDF

to Mr. Funnyman?
    â€œWell, why are you out here?” I persisted. “Just getting some fresh air?”
    â€œI wish,” he muttered bitterly. “I’m waiting for Al. He’s late.”
    â€œAl?” I couldn’t hide my surprise.
    â€œYeah. That big creep Al.” Vincent scowled and kicked a small rock across the driveway.
    I pulled the backpack off my shoulder and tossed it to the grass. Then I straightened my new top over the skirt. “You’re waiting for Al out here?”
    Vincent nodded glumly. “He took my mom’s car.”
    I gasped “He stole it?”
    â€œNo. I loaned it to him,” Vincent replied, shakinghis head. “I mean, he forced me to loan it to him.”
    â€œOh, wow,” I murmured, swallowing hard. Big Al strikes again.
    â€œHe promised he’d bring it back an hour ago,” Vincent moaned. “He said he’d have it back here by the time I got home from school.”
    He turned his gray-green eyes to the street and searched in both directions. A warm breeze fluttered his rust-colored hair. He looked so adorable. I had a sudden impulse to kiss him and tell him everything would be okay.
    How do you think that would go over?
    â€œIf my parents find out I loaned that jerk their car, they will murder me!” Vincent exclaimed. “No lie. They will murder me.”
    â€œSo why did you let him take it?” I asked softly.
    Vincent scowled again. He was always so mellow. It really upset me to see him so stressed.
    â€œI did a stupid thing,” he confessed. “I took my parents’ car Saturday night without telling them. They were down the street at a party. I just felt like getting out. You know. Spring fever or something. So I took the car and cruised around town for a while.
    â€œI guess I was going too fast or something,” Vincent continued, his eyes on the street. “I was two blocks from home. I got pulled over by a cop. I got a fifty-dollar speeding ticket. Do you believe it? And who comes walking up while I’m getting the ticket? Yeah. You guessed it. The Man. Al.”
    â€œBad news,” I murmured.
    â€œThe cop drove off,” Vincent continued. “I toldAl he’d never see me again because my parents would definitely murder me. I mean, I took the car without asking. Then I got the ticket for a big five-oh. I was dead meat.”
    A high cloud rolled over the sun. A blue shadow swept over the front lawn.
    Vincent’s expression darkened too. “So Al says no big deal. He’ll help me. My parents will never know.”
    â€œWhat did he do?” I asked.
    Vincent shook his head. “He took the speeding ticket and ripped it into tiny shreds. He said the police computers never work. My parents will never find out about the ticket.”
    â€œBig help,” I muttered.
    â€œWell, maybe he’s right,” Vincent argued. “But then he came over here yesterday and made me promise to lend him Mom’s car today. He said he only needed it for two hours. He said if I didn’t let him have the car, he’d tell my parents I sneaked out Saturday night and tore up a speeding ticket.”
    â€œHe’s doing it to you too,” I said.
    â€œWhat choice did I have?” Vincent moaned. “I let him take the car. But where is he? Mom’s office car pool gets her home a little after five. If the car isn’t back by then … ”
    â€œHe’ll be here,” I said. But I didn’t sound real convincing.
    I didn’t trust Al. Why should I?
    Vincent and I both turned to the street and watched. I tried talking about our chem experiments. But Vincent couldn’t concentrate on anything but waiting. We both kept glancing at ourwatches, watching the time slip quickly toward five.
    And then at about five till five, we heard a rattling sound from down the street. A clatter of metal against metal.
    I recognized Al as he turned the car into