Falling Harder by W. H. Vega Read Free Book Online

my pockets, “How’s tricks?”
    “Come with me,
Trace,” he says. For all my teasing, the guy actually looks nothing like that
southern dude on the chicken buckets. He’s got this do-gooder hipster thing
going on that would normally piss me the hell off. But, he’s usually pretty
straight with me, so I can stomach the elbow patches and the mountain man
beard.
    “I was just
having a little talk with the guy,” I tell him, taking a step forward, “We had
a couple of things to clear up. No harm, no foul.”
    “Don’t know if
he’d agree,” Sanders says, nodding to the guy on the ground.
    “Well,” I shrug,
“Can’t please everyone.”
    “Let’s have a
little chat in my office, shall we?” he says, “The rest of you can stop gawking
and get to homeroom. Now.”
    The circle of
onlookers moves out, grumbling...all but Nadia. She stands stock still, looking
at me. Her blue eyes are full of wonder, tinged with wariness.
    “You didn’t have
to do that,” she says quietly, “I can take care of myself.”
    “I’m sure you
can,” I tell her, “But everyone needs backup.”
    A slow smile
creeps across her plush lips, a smile that’s just for me. I’m just about to be
swallowed whole by that smile when I managed to wrench myself away and follow
Sanders down to his office. Can’t very well be caught standing in the middle of
the hall, grinning like a damn idiot, can I?

 
    Five
    Trace
    Don't fuck with my friends.
     
    The Colonel and
I make our way to his glorified broom closet of an office and step inside. The
school is already pressed for space, and I guess that guidance counselors
aren’t very high up on the food chain.
    I sink down into
a worn out chair that stands in front of Sanders’ desk. He plops down opposite
me with a heavy sigh.
    “So, what was it
this time?” he asks.
    “What was what?”
    “Did that kid
owe you money or something?” he asks, “Bum a smoke without getting you back? What?”
    “Nothing like
that,” I say, “You know I’m not that petty, Sanders.”
    “It’s not a gang
thing, is it?” he goes on, “The last thing I need is for you to cave in and
join up with a gang. You’re so close to being out of here, Trace. Don’t blow it
now.”
    “Relax,” I tell
him, “It’s not a gang thing. Not even close. You know I’m not going to do
anything that stupid. As soon as this year is over, I am out. I’m not going to
fuck up my chances of getting away scott free.”
    “Good,” he says,
“I’m glad to hear it. But if you’re so concerned about making a clean break,
what was all that back there?”
    “I couldn’t help
it,” I shrug, “It’s not like I planned to jump the guy, he was just acting like
a dip shit.”
    “How so?”
    “He was messing
with someone. My...friend. Nadia.”
    “Miss Faber?”
Sanders asks.
    “Yeah,” I say,
“How’d you—?”
    “I’m kept pretty
in the loop when it comes to foster kids here,” he says, “Nadia’s staying at
the Daniels’ with you and the others, right?”
    “That would be
correct,” I say. “Guess Paul and Nancy are really digging those foster parent
tax benefits. They just keep collecting more of us.”
    “I’m sure that’s
not why they’ve taken you all in,” Sanders says, unconvincingly.
    “You don’t even
believe that, Colonel,” I tell him, “I thought we had a deal? You be straight
with me, I act real nice and cooperative whenever you call me in here.”
    “Fair enough,”
he allows. “So tell me, then. Who’s Nadia to you?”
    “What does that
mean?” I ask.
    “Well, Conway
and Garrick get into their fair share of crap around here, and I never see you
rushing in to rescue them.”
    “They don’t need
rescuing,” I say.
    “And Nadia
does?”
    “No,
she’s...She’s just new to this whole thing. So sue me for being a little
protective.”
    “It’s just not
really like you, is all,” Sanders says, “What makes her different than your
other foster siblings?”
    “I really