Cape High Christmas: A Side Story (Cape High Series) by R.J. Ross Read Free Book Online

well," Max says, running a hand over his face as his mind whirls. "Everyone that thinks they need to go out to shop, move here," he says, pointing to his left. "Those of you that have an idea of what you want to make, move here," he goes on, motioning in front of him, "and those of you that have no freaking clue what you want to do, go here," he says, waving his hand to his right. More than half of the group move there. No one moves to the shopping spot. "Okay, then. Jack, you're going to help those that have an idea, Ace, you get the ones without a clue," Max says.
    "And what are you going to do?" Jack demands.
    "I will... be here for when someone has an idea that they think I can help with," Max says, jumping into the air and lounging there, intent on taking a nap. Before he can even close his eyes, though, Carla tugs him down by his shirt. "Whoa--" he says, barely catching his balance. "What--"
    "I need you," she says seriously. "Come on, okay?" She grabs his wrist and hauls him towards the dorm building, far away from the others. She closes the door behind them when they go in, and then searches the room for a second before letting out a breath. "I need help," she declares dramatically. "And money--but cash won't work, right, because it's online!"
    "You want to buy music for Emily, right?"
    "Yeah!" she says. "But I don't know ANYTHING about Ska--it sounded weird to me, so how do you know the good stuff from the bad when it all sounds strange? And how am I going to deliver it to her phone without her knowing?"
    "Technico phone," he reminds her. "It's all connected to the main base--all of the music anyone brings in can be accessed by anyone that wants it, as long as they have one of our phones. But I can help you pick the music! You've got a computer, right?" he asks.
    "Um, no... but Morgan does!"
    "Then go ask Morgan if you can use it--" she's gone and back before he can finish the sentence. Soon he's got her watching a short documentary on Amazon about the history of Ska. She seems bored at first, but then--
    "Bob Marley! Max, Max, look--Bob Marley was Ska!" she jumps to her feet and points. "I never knew!"
    He hadn't either, he thinks a bit dryly, but just grins. "So you've got an idea, now?"
    "Yeah!" she says, going back to the video.
    "Tell me when you need money," he says as the door opens and Ward comes in, holding his envelope in one hand.
    "I need your help," Ward says. He follows along, soon dragged from one job to the next, until before he knows it, his phone dings.
    "Crap," he says, pulling it out and heading for the gym. He gets on the loudspeaker, tapping on it twice before going, "It is now time to exchange gifts, everyone, so if you'll meet in the gym, we'll get started. If you haven't finished your gift, well, you can explain what you plan to the person you're giving it to."
    He heads down the stairs, watching as everyone comes in. "How'd it go?" he asks them. They seem pretty happy, although most of them are trying to hide their gifts behind their backs and failing. "Oh, wait, Carla, I forgot entirely--"
    "I figured something out," Carla says, holding up her phone.
    "I'll go first, then," Vinny says, "since there's no hope of hiding this sucker--Jack, this is for you," he says, holding out a painting.
    "You told him to give me something avant-garde," Jack says, staring at Max. Max gives him a shameless grin.
    "I was hoping it might culture you," Max says evilly, walking over to see what he got. He stares, his jaw dropping at the picture. "You painted a picture of him?" he demands of Ace, motioning to the highly stylized picture of Jack. "That's just going to go to his head!"
    "It's AWESOME!" Jack says, bringing it up to look, finally. "Wow, man, this is going over my bed!"
    The sound of upbeat music makes Max look over, watching as Carla and Emily dance together. All of a sudden everyone is giving and getting, which almost makes up for Jack actually LIKING his gift. (He'd really hoped to irritate the guy,