Young Squatters Read Online Free PDF

something horrible had happened to his family, or anything like that.  Bradford had just seemed to disappear.
    When Colin had first met Bradford, he hadn’t been sure of him.  He knew that Bradford didn’t like to be called anything but Bradford; the first day he had tried to call him Brad, as the other boy grew dark and menacing at the mention of the nickname.  Bradford, he had corrected.  Bradford.  He had been different from the other kids in the school.  He didn’t slick back his hair like most of the boys did, and Colin could always smell a hint of smoke hidden beneath expensive cologne and mints.  Still, Bradford had never been unfriendly to him, and they had been paired up to work on a school project about social media sites, so they had gotten along.  In fact, once he got to know the mysterious figure a little better, Colin had found that he liked Bradford.
    Colin couldn’t believe how interested in the class he had been, which was why he was so puzzled at him no longer attending; it didn’t make any sense to him at all.
    “You’re so clued up on all of these social network sites, Colin.  I wouldn’t know where to start,” Bradford had said when Colin showed him all of the sites he was on and how easy they were to navigate.
    Colin thought how strange it was for someone of Bradford’s age to be so out of touch with social networks, but he thought maybe he’d had a strange upbringing or something, and didn’t like to inquire.  Besides, Colin was happy to show Bradford how to navigate the sites.  Bradford always looked amazed when he went through the instructions so fast and efficiently, making him feel like a professional.
    Colin would never say it out loud, but Bradford fed his ego, which was why he was disappointed he had suddenly left.  He hoped he was just sick or something and would be back soon.
    “Ouch,” Colin felt a nudge to his left and was instantly bought back to the present day.  He looked over to find his friend Connor giving him an urgent look.
    “Colin, are you going to answer the question or do I have to ask you a third time?” Mr. Steven Birk asked from the front of the classroom.  Mr. Birk was not known to be a kindly teacher.
    “Sorry, sir.  I...uh...could you repeat it one last time?”
    Colin realized he’d made a mistake in asking for the question to be repeated when he saw the look on the teacher’s face.  He felt Connor smack his forehead.  Duh. Colin resisted the urge to roll his eyes, already knowing what would happen.
    “Get yourself out of this classroom immediately and down to the principal’s office.”
    Colin stood up and promptly left the room.
    It was something Colin had gotten used to, due to him being outside the principal’s office twice in the previous three weeks.  He and Birk just didn’t get along, as simple as that.  He knew he was a student, but that didn’t mean he had to be completely subservient to the grumpy teacher’s every whim.
    Colin hoped he didn’t have to stay after school again tonight.  He knew his mom would be in a bad mood due to his dad working late.  He didn’t want to give her a reason to take her anger out on him like she did last time.  He always wondered if she and his dad would get a divorce.  Although they seemed friendly to each other most of the time, Colin hardly ever saw them just “hang out” or have fun with each other.  He didn’t know if that was how relationships were supposed to be or if they were just staying together for the principle of it all.
    Colin needn’t have worried, as twenty minutes later he had the principal wrapped around his little finger.
    “You see sir, I’ve been so worried something may have happened to Bradford, I wasn’t listening to the teacher’s question.  I’m really worried something has happened to him.”
    As Colin looked worried and upset, the principal was full of sympathy and all thoughts of his bad behavior were quickly forgotten.
    “Now Colin, why