Stuffed by Eric Walters Read Free Book Online Page A

and whoever had been calling.
    â€œIan…wait up!”
    I recognized the voice—it was Julia. I stopped and spun around. She was running down the hall, a big smile on her face. She had a nice smile. It made me smile back.
    â€œAre you going deaf?” she asked.
    â€œSelective hearing.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?” she asked.
    â€œI was trying to ignore you.”
    â€œYou were trying to ignore me?” she asked, sounding hurt.
    â€œNot
you
. I didn’t know it was you calling, and when I did, I stopped. It’s everybody else in the school I’m trying to ignore…if they’d let me.”
    â€œLots of people been bugging you, huh?”
    â€œEverybody in the whole school,” I said.
    â€œYou’re always exaggerating,” Julia said.
    â€œThe only one who is exaggerating is youwhen you say I
always
exaggerate. It certainly feels like it’s everybody.”
    â€œWay to go, Ian!” a boy said as he passed by and slapped me on the back.
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œWho was that?” Julia asked as the boy walked away.
    â€œI have no idea.”
    â€œAt least he is on your side,” Julia said.
    â€œOn my side in what way?”
    â€œYou know, supporting the boycott.”
    â€œNot necessarily,” I said. “He may have been thanking me because he’s getting a free lunch from Frankie’s.”
    â€œYou have to be kidding,” she said.
    I shook my head. “Nope. It’s running about fifty-fifty. Half the school is backing me in the boycott and the other half is happy to be getting a free Frankie’s lunch.”
    â€œHow stupid. Do those people really think you’d cave in for a bunch of burgers?”
    â€œActually, I think a thousand burgers with fries and drinks is more than a bunch.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter if it was a million burgers because I know you wouldn’ttrade your principles. I’m proud of you!” she said.
    â€œYou are?”
    â€œOf course I am. Most people would have just given in, but not you.”
    â€œThanks.” I didn’t have the guts to tell her I still hadn’t completely made up my mind what I was going to do. Somehow, though, her words had an impact. I did want to make her proud of me.
    â€œI was explaining to Oswald—”
    â€œWhere is Oswald?” I asked.
    â€œWho knows…and who cares.”
    I gave her a questioning look. “Did you two have another misunderstanding?”
    â€œI really don’t want to talk about it. I better get to class,” Julia said.
    â€œMe too. See you later.”
    Julia rushed off in one direction and I hurried off in the other. I’d gone no more than a couple of dozen steps when there was a hand on my shoulder.
    â€œHey, buddy!”
    It was Oswald. “You just missed Julia,” I said.
    â€œI know…I saw her.”
    â€œYou did?”
    â€œYeah. I saw the two of you talking. I just waited until she left,” Oswald said.
    â€œWhy did you do that?”
    He shrugged. “I just feel like I need a little space. She can be a little annoying sometimes.”
    â€œA little?” I questioned.
    Oswald laughed. “If I tell you something will you promise not to tell me ‘I told you so’ ?”
    â€œSorry, can’t make that promise.”
    â€œOkay, either way. It’s just that I was thinking that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for me and Julia to start dating.”
    â€œDo you think?”
    â€œOkay, okay, I know you told me, and I know I should have listened to you, but what’s done is done.”
    â€œSo are you going to break up with her?” I asked.
    â€œI would, but I’m sort of afraid of her.”
    This time I did laugh.
    â€œGlad you think this is funny!”
    â€œWell, it
is
funny. What do you think she’d do, beat you up?” I asked.
    â€œNo…probably not. It just would be easier if she broke