Snitch by Norah McClintock Read Free Book Online Page A

a seat in the very back.
    Amy dropped down in the seat next to me.
    â€œAre you okay?” she said.
    â€œSure,” I said.
    â€œBecause you’re really quiet today,” she said.
    I stayed quiet.
    â€œDid you hear what they’re saying about Scott?” she said. “They’re saying he’s in the hospital. They’re saying someone beat him up.”
    I stayed quiet.
    â€œI heard Travis say you and Scott werefriends,” she said.“You want to go see him?”
    â€œWhat?” If she had heard Travis, then she also knew what Scott had done to me
.
    â€œYour friend is hurt. You want to go and see him?”
    I noticed then that she had light blue eyes. They stared right at me, almost like she knew me.
    â€œI’ll go with you if you want,” she said.
    I didn’t say anything.
    â€œI got into a fight with my best friend,” she said. “It wasn’t her fault. I was mad because of stuff at home and she said something and I started hitting her. She ended up in the hospital. That’s why I’m in the program. I’m supposed to learn how to control my anger.”
    â€œI didn’t hurt Scott,” I said. “And we’re not exactly friends anymore.”
    â€œI know,” she said. “So, you want to go and see him?”
    â€œWhat is it with you?” I said. “Why do you even care?”
    She shrugged. “Why shouldn’t I?”
    The truth was, yeah, I wanted to go to the hospital. I wanted to see Scott. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t me. But I didn’t think they’d let me get near him. Amy said, “You’ll never know until you try.”
    Amy was the one who went to the information desk to ask what room Scott was in. She told the woman she was Scott’s girlfriend. When we got upstairs, I froze and ducked back around a corner.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” Amy said.
    â€œThat woman who just came out of that room? That’s Scott’s mother.”
    She peeked around the corner.
    â€œShe’s down by the elevator. Maybe she’s leaving. Or going for coffee or something.”
    â€œLet’s get out of here,” I said.
    â€œYou came to see him. So go see him. I’ll wait by the door and let you know if anyone is coming.”
    I shook my head.
    â€œCome on, Josh,” she said. “You’re a good guy. I know it.”
    There were those blue eyes again, looking right into me. Then she took my hand and led me to Scott’s room as if I was a little kid. She pushed me inside.
    â€œI’ll let you know when anyone comes,” she said.
    Scott’s eyes were closed, but he opened them when I came into the room. He had one black eye and a huge bandage on his head.
    â€œHey,” he said.
    â€œHey. How are you feeling?”
    He smiled just a little and then winced. “I’ve got a really bad headache,” he said.
    â€œAre you going to be okay?”
    â€œI think so. They said I have a concussion and they want to watch me for a while. But they’re not acting weird, like I’m dying or anything. And I haven’t forgotten anything. At least, I don’t think I have.” There was that goofy grin again. If he could grin like that, I figured he’d be okay.
    I tried to think of what to say to him. Finally I just said what I had told the cops and Andrew.
    â€œI know I was mad at you for snitching on me,” I said. “To the cops and at the shelter. But I just wanted you to know, it wasn’t me, Scott.”
    He started to grin again. I couldn’t tell if he believed me. Then he said, “Hey, Josh, I—”
    â€œJosh!”
    I turned and saw Amy in the doorway.
    â€œWe better go,” she said. “His mother’s coming back. And there’s cops with her.”
    I got out of there fast. I saw Scott’s mother and the cops down at the nurses’ station. They were talking to one of the