Cheating for the Chicken Man by Priscilla Cummings Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t even watch TV or go on his computer much.
    By mid-August, J.T.’s dark hair had grown back in and the ankle bracelet was gone. Kate’s bunny had grown big enough to need a wire cage and had to be moved outside. He was getting around just fine on three legs, but still, Kate kept lots of hay and even a small piece of old carpeting in his cage so he had something soft to hop on. Jess wanted Kate to go shopping for school clothes at the mall in Annapolis, but everything was more expensive there, and Kate had to tell her she couldn’t go. Instead, Grandma took all three of the kids to the Walmart in Easton for clothes and school supplies. J.T. didn’t have to checkin with his probation officer as often, so no one worried when it all took longer than they’d planned, and they decided to stop for pizza on the way home. They all laughed when Kerry said, “I want juth,” and had to repeat herself three times before anyone could figure out she meant “juice.” Even Kerry giggled, flashing her missing-front-teeth smile.
    Only one person wasn’t there. Kate quickly texted her mother as their meal arrived:
We’ll bring pizza home
, so you don’t have
to cook.
    New school clothes. Dinner out. Laughter. Under the table, Kate tapped her hands together and was quietly grateful. This was how her life used to be. This was how it was supposed to be. It had a name, too:
norma
l
. And normal had never felt so good, Kate thought while carefully picking the pepperoni off her slice of pizza.
    But then came the first day of school.

~5~
    FAR FROM HEAVENLY
    W e have a lot to cover this year. So be forewarned. This class is
no
t
a social hour!” Kate’s new English teacher, Mrs. Langley, looked up from her notes and flashed a threatening look at the class over her reading glasses.
    Kate was listening. She wanted to work hard. She
had
to do well. Ever since she’d started going to public school, bringing home a good report card was about the only thing that made her mother even a little bit proud of her. “Straight A’s,” her mother might actually say with the glimmer of a smile and her eyes connecting with Kate’s. “Good job.” And yet Kate was distracted and anxious, because the first day of high school was not what she had envisioned.
    The shoes were the first clue. Kate should have paid more attention. All those niggling doubts about the way she looked came flooding back. She had read the dress code on the website. It said “no flip-flops, no slippers, and no bare feet.” So she figured sneakers would be okay. They were new—plain white, comfy, and inexpensive. Grandma was delighted she’d found such a great deal. Kate hadn’t thought much about them until a girl on the bus made a weird face. “Off brand,” she heard the girl say before she and her friend grunted and laughed behindtheir hands.
    But it was true. No one was wearing sneakers like hers—none of the girls, anyway. Most of them—including Jess—were wearing flip-flops!
    During second class, Honors English, Kate was still beating herself up over it. She had wanted this day to be perfect. Why hadn’t she talked to Jess about this? Why hadn’t Jess
said
something? Was it because Kate hadn’t gone shopping with her?
    â€œEach and every student in this room needs to come prepared—be on time and ready to work.” Mrs. Langley continued.
    It didn’t help that Kate’s heart was still pounding from the run to class either. She’d gotten lost in the upstairs hallway and had almost been late. Somehow she’d had the wrong room number in her head—and it was a long way from 213 to 109!
    Nervous, Kate twisted several strands of her shoulder-length hair with her index finger and thumb. It wasn’t just the shoes either. She should have done something with her hair, too. She should have straightened it. But she hated the flat