Better Than Weird by Anna Kerz Read Free Book Online

right now!” Ms. Masilo said as soon as she reached Aaron. He started to rise, but, remembering Tufan, he sank back.
    Ms. Masilo reached down to help him up. The arm she pulled was the same one Tufan had twisted. It still hurt. When she pulled, Aaron yelped and she let go. She looked around, then sent two of the girls into the school for help.
    It was Mr. Collins who came running, his coat flapping. “Are you hurt?” he asked when he saw Aaron in the puddle.
    Aaron shook his head.
    â€œThen get up and come inside.”
    Aaron looked at the expression on the teacher’s face. Worried, he decided. Mr. Collins looks worried. It made him sad.
    Just then the school buzzer sounded. Ms. Masilo rang the handbell. She glanced at Aaron and started toward the doors. Kids ran to join the lines that disappeared inside. As the last one hurried into the school, Aaron figured it was safe to stand up. He followed Mr. Collins into the building, his pant legs flapping wetly, his boots making sucking sounds with each step.
    He was in the nurse’s office, wrapped in a blanket, when Jeremy’s voice came through the speaker, making the morning announcements. Aaron’s shoulders sagged. That’s where he was supposed to be. With Jeremy.
    When Gran arrived and looked at him, her shoulders sagged too. She shook her head as she handed him dry clothes. “I don’t know, Aaron,” she said. And then, as if she didn’t know what else to say, she repeated her words more slowly. “I…don’t…know.”
    Mr. Collins asked a lot of questions. Aaron didn’t answer any of them. He didn’t want to admit he’d been playing in the puddles, and he didn’t want to tell about the tears in case Mr. Collins thought he was a baby, or worse, a suck.

NINE
    That evening Jeremy came over, and the boys went into the basement to work on their space city. They had a collection of small boxes already painted and decorated. As Jeremy got ready to start painting, Aaron stood with his hands in the pockets of his down vest. His mind wasn’t on the project.
    â€œOnly eight more days,” he told Jeremy. “Eight days before my dad comes back.”
    Jeremy picked up one of the miniature rockets. “What color do you want to paint this one?” he asked.
    â€œSilver, I guess,” Aaron said. “My dad…he’s gonna bring me a surprise.”
    â€œYeah, you said. Pass me the paintbrush.”
    Aaron frowned. He handed Jeremy the brush. “How come…how come you don’t care that my dad’s coming back?”
    Jeremy sucked in his bottom lip. He dipped the brush into a small jar and started painting one of the rockets.
    â€œYou know what else I put on the list?” Aaron said. “I put tae kwan do . We can do that together, my dad and me. Then nobody’s gonna push me around. We’re gonna do all kinds of stuff together.”
    A small strangled sound came from Jeremy’s throat. He tossed his brush aside. “I gotta go,” he said.
    Aaron was surprised to see him rush up the stairs. He followed, but by the time he got there, Jeremy was already opening the front door. “You’re going?” he asked.
    â€œYeah. Forgot something. See ya.” And Aaron found himself standing in the entrance, alone.
    â€œHe left in a hurry,” Gran said from the upper hallway.
    â€œHe forgot something.”
    She came down, one stair at a time. When she got to the bottom, she sat on a step and patted the space beside her. “Maybe you forgot something too,” she said when Aaron was seated.
    â€œMe? What? What did I forget?”
    â€œIs it possible that in all the excitement of your dad coming home, you forgot Jeremy’s father will never be back?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThink for a minute,” Gran said.
    Aaron sat. After a bit, his eyes widened. “Oh,” he said. “Stupid me. Stupid, stupid me. Should I say