Down and Out in Bugtussle by Stephanie McAfee Read Free Book Online Page B

scowling.
    “This is Ms. Jones, former art teacher turned permanent substitute,” Freddie says with a smirk.
    She narrows her eyes and looks at me. “Oh, so you’re the one that I was hired to replace?”
    “Yes,” I say.
    “Yes,” Freddie Dublin says. “And she’s Mrs. Stacks’s BFF.” He looks at Cameron. “I told you to get a lawyer.”
    She stares me down for a minute. “So you’re the reason she gave me a bad evaluation?”
    “Or maybe it was because of your not-so-great teaching abilities,” Stacey says.
    “Or maybe it was because of your not-so-great teaching abilities,” Freddie says, mocking her. “What do you know about any of this, Dewberry?”
    “I know Mrs. Stacks is a fair and honest person and I know that Ms. Jones asked her to give you a bad evaluation this morning and Mrs. Stacks flat-out refused.”
    Now I’m the one scowling—at Stacey. “What?” I practically shout at her. “What are you talking about?”
    “I was standing outside her office this morning while you were talking to her,” she says to me. “Second period turned out to be Mr. Harrison’s planning period, so I was going to ask her if there was anything else she needed me to do during that time because I heard her ask you to come up there, so I was going to see if maybe she needed me, too.” She shrugs and looks back at Cameron Becker. “Ace wants her job back. Who wouldn’t? She was just looking out for herself, and I heard Mrs. Stacks swear on a stack of Bibles she would give you an evenhanded evaluation.” She looks over at Freddie. “So there. That’s what I know about this.”
    “She didn’t say she would swear on a stack of Bibles,” I say, then stop short. “And I didn’t ask her to do that.”
    “Yes, you did,” Stacey says. “I was standing right outside the door and heard—”
    “Not helping!” I yell at Stacey.
    “Well, she had no right to jump all over me like she did when I went to speak to her about it,” Cameron says, eyeballing me.
    “She jumped all over you?” I ask, thinking Chloe must be having the worst day ever.
    “Uh, yes.”
    “That is so not like her,” I say. “If it makes you feel any better, she jumped all over me this morning, too.”
    “It doesn’t.” She smirks, then looks at Freddie. “Something smells here, don’t you think?” Freddie nods in agreement.
    “Don’t blame me. I sprayed the restroom down double-time,” Stacey says. Despite my best effort to keep a straight face, I laugh a little at that.
    Cameron Becker stares at Stacey with disgust and says, “I think you’re right, Freddie. I do need a lawyer.”
    “Well, a girl like you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a lawyer who accepts sexual favors as payment,” Stacey says, and we all turn to look at her.
    “What?” Cameron Becker snaps as Freddie Dublin’s eyes bug out of his head.
    “What do you mean what?” Stacey replies, mirroring Cameron’s glare of annoyance. “This is your first year teaching and we all know what you make and we all know it’s not enough to afford a bad lawyer, let alone a good one, and personally, I don’t think you have a leg to stand on, which means you’re gonna need a really good one, so I’m just saying you’re attractive and pretty and everyone says you like pecker, so I just thought I’d throw that out there.” She shrugs and picks up her Dr Pepper. “You could say thanks.”
    The bell rings, so we all have to disperse, but not before I text Lilly and give her a quick summary of what just happened along with the quote, “Cameron Becker loves Pecker.”
    She sends back, “LOL” followed immediately by “WTEH = W w/C?” I interpret that to mean “What the effin’ hell is wrong with Chloe?” Or something to that effect.

6

    T he week finally drags to a close and I go home Friday and fall out on the couch. Buster Loo wants to go for a walk, but I tell him that I can’t because I’m dying. He jumps up onto my chest and starts sniffing