Perfect Chemistry 1 by Simone Elkeles Read Free Book Online Page B

shove him against the car, my forearm pressing on his throat just
    enough to scare him. "As if I'm gonna take your word for it. You think
    we're stupid? I need collateral."
    Blake doesn't answer.
    I eye his car.
    "Not the car, Alex. Please."
    I take my gun out. I'm not going to shoot him. No matter who I am
    and what I've become, I'd never kill anyone. Or shoot anyone. Blake
    doesn't have to know this, though.
    At the first glance of my Glock, Blake holds out his keys. "Oh, God.
    Please, no."
    I snatch the keys out of his hand. "Tomorrow, Blake. Seven o'clock
    behind the old tracks on Fourth and Vine. Now get outta here," I say,
    waving my gun in the air for him to run off on foot.
    "I've always wanted a Camaro," Paco says after Blake is out of
    sight.
    I toss the keys to him. "It's yours--until tomorrow."
    "You really think he'll come up with four G's in a day?"
    "Yeah," I tell him, totally confident. " 'Cause that car is worth way
    more than four G's."
    Back at the warehouse, we give Hector the update. He's not happy
    we haven't collected, but he knows it'll happen. I always come through.
    At night, I'm in my room unable to sleep because of my little
    brother Luis's snoring. By the way he sleeps so soundly, you'd think he
    didn't have a care in the world. As much as I don't mind threatening
    loser drug dealers like Blake, I wish to hell I was fighting for things
    worth fighting for.
    A week later I'm sitting on the grass in the school courtyard eating
    lunch by a tree. Most of the students at Fairfield eat outside until late
    October, when the Illinois winter forces us to sit in the cafeteria
    during lunch period. Right now we're soaking up every minute of sun and
    fresh air while it's still decent outside.
    My friend Lucky, with his oversized red shirt and black jeans, slaps
    me on the back as he parks his butt next to me with a cafeteria tray
    balanced on his hand. "You geared up for next period, Alex? I swear
    Brittany Ellis hates you like the plague, man. It's hilarious watchin' her
    move her stool as far as she can from you."
    "Lucky," I say. "She might be a mamacita, but she ain't got nothin'
    on this hombre." I point to myself.
    "Tell your mama that," Lucky says, laughing. "Or Colin Adams."
    I lean back against the tree and cross my arms. "I had phys. ed.
    with Adams last year. Believe me, he's got nada to brag about."
    "You still pissed off 'cause he trashed your locker freshman year
    after you smoked him in the relay in front of the entire school?"
    Hell, yeah, I'm still pissed. That one incident cost me a shitload of
    money having to buy new books.
    "Yesterday's news," I tell Lucky, keeping up the cool facade I
    always do.
    "'Yesterdays news' is sittin' right over there with his hot
    girlfriend."
    One look at Little Miss Perfecta and my defenses go up. She thinks
    I'm a drugged-out user. Every day I've dreaded having to deal with her
    in chem class. "That chick has a head full of air, man," I say.
    "I heard that ho was dissin' you to her friends," a guy named Pedro
    says as he and a bunch of other guys join us carrying either trays from
    the cafeteria or food they brought from home.
    I shake my head, wondering what Brittany said and how much
    damage control I'll have to do. "Maybe she wants me and doesn't know
    any other way to get my attention."
    Lucky laughs so hard everyone within a few yards stares at us.
    "There's no way Brittany Ellis would get within two feet of you on her
    own free will, giley, let alone date you," he says. "She's so rich the
    scarf around her neck last week pro'bly cost as much as everythin' in
    tu casa."
    That scarf. As if the designer jeans and top weren't fashionable
    enough, she'd probably added the scarf to showcase how rich and
    untouchable she is. Knowing her, she had it professionally dyed to
    match the exact shade of her sapphire eyes.
    "Hell, I bet you my RX-7 you can't get into her panties before
    Thanksgiving break," Lucky challenges me, breaking my wayward
    thoughts.
    "Who'd