The Elephant of Surprise (The Russel Middlebrook Series Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

homeless, Dumpster-diving freegan.
    And I confess: I was smitten.

 
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    I wanted to talk to someone about my thing for Wade, but I couldn't mention him to Min and Gunnar. Like I said, I hadn't even made it twenty-four hours since I'd forsaken love in front of both of them.
    It seemed even weirder to talk to Otto, my new ex, about him. But that night when I was IMing him, Otto surprised me.
     
    OttoManEmpire: So you met someone?
     
    Now this was just uncanny. Otto could still read my mind—even about something like this ?
     
    Smuggler: WTF?! How did you know?
     
    OttoManEmpire: I didn't! It was a total wild guess.
     
    Smuggler: I swear to God, it wasn't planned! And it isn't anything yet. I mean, I don't even know if he's gay. I'll probably never even see him again.
     
    OttoManEmpire: Oh, I have a feeling you'll see Wade again.
     
    Wait. I hadn't told Otto Wade's name. So how had Otto known it? Maybe he could read my mind for real!
    Then I clued in:
     
    Smuggler: You've been following Gunnar's posts. You saw the photos he posted today about Wade and Venus.
     
    OttoManEmpire: LOL. Yeah. Darn, I wanted to make you think I was just brilliant! I figured I could milk this one for weeks.
     
    Smuggler: But I didn't tell Gunnar I thought Wade was hot. Did Gunnar write that?
     
    OttoManEmpire: No. But there's a photo of you staring at him. I could just tell. And, I mean, Wade IS hot.
     
    I smiled. But even so, I wasn't sure what to think about all this. On the other hand, I had wanted someone to talk to about Wade.
     
    Smuggler: Is this weird? You're my ex-boyfriend. It seems like it should be weird talking about this with you.
     
    OttoManEmpire: Yes. No. Maybe. I don't care! I want to know more!
     
    So I told him about Wade, everything Gunnar hadn't already posted, that is.
     
    Smuggler: Have you ever heard of freeganism?
     
    OttoManEmpire: I hadn't, but I looked them up after Gunnar's posts. Part of me doesn't believe it's a real thing.
     
    Smuggler: It's a real thing. And I'm 90% sure he's not a nutcase.
     
    Even as I typed this, I thought: Of course, I'd also been more than ninety percent sure that Kevin wasn't hooking up with men in the park at night.
     
    OttoManEmpire: So you're in love with a guy who lives in a Dumpster?
     
    Smuggler: He doesn't LIVE in a Dumpster. That's just where he gets his meals.
     
    I stopped. That didn't sound any better, did it?
     
    Smuggler: And I'm not "in love" with him! I just met him!
     
    OttoManEmpire: I know, I know.
     
    Smuggler: But there is something about him.
     
    How did I explain to him that Wade was exactly the sort of adventure I'd been looking for—exactly the kind of thing that had been lacking in my mostly-online relationship with Otto?
    Suddenly, I understood exactly why talking to your ex about current boyfriend prospects was a bad idea. Who knew?
     
    OttoManEmpire: Looking for a little walk on the wild side, huh?
     
    Now Otto was back to reading my thoughts, for real this time. This was scary.
     
    Smuggler: Hey, did you ever talk to the guy you were interested in?
     
    OttoManEmpire: No!!!!! He doesn't even know I exist. But you're changing the subject. I wanna hear about your guy!
     
    The truth is there was nothing more to say about Wade. I probably never would see him again. And even if I did, just because Wade wasn't with Venus, that didn't mean he was into guys.
     
    *   *   *
     
    The next morning, I found Min in the hallway scraping gum off her locker with a folded three-by-five card.
    "Hey," I said.
    "How hard is it for people to put their damn gum in a damn trash can?" she said. "Seriously!"
    "I know. People at this school are total slobs. You should see the boys' bathroom. There are liquids on the floor in there, I'm not even sure what body opening they came out of."
    The gum was gooey, and Min's folded card was mostly just spreading it around and making little strands as it stuck to the paper. "Damn it!" she said. "Like I