Stuffed by Eric Walters Read Free Book Online Page B

up with me.”
    â€œI have an idea how you could do that.”
    â€œYou do?”
    â€œYeah. Just tell her you think I should try to cancel the boycott and get burgers for everybody.”
    â€œDo you think that would work?”
    â€œShe’s pretty clear about wanting the boycott.”
    â€œThen, sure, I could tell her that.” He paused. “Do you think
you
could tell her that for me?”
    â€œYou really are afraid. Sorry, but I’m not doing your dirty work.”
    â€œI guess that’s fair. Besides, that wouldn’t even be a lie about the boycott,” Oswald said.
    â€œIt wouldn’t?”
    â€œIf it was me, I’d just write another e-mail. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with us all getting a free lunch.”
    â€œIf that’s what you believe, Oswald, thenthat’s what you should tell her. Just be careful. She might actually take a swing at you.”
    â€œI could live with that. Thanks for the idea. See you later.”
    â€œYeah, later.”
    At that instant the bell rang. I was officially late for class. If you got there just after the bell, most teachers would still let you in. Unfortunately this wasn’t most teachers—I was now late for law and Mr. Phillips, the teacher who had gotten me suspended. And he had the stupidest rule in the world. If the bell had gone and his door was closed, you had to “make a plea.” You had to claim you were “guilty” of being late and be sent down to the office for a late slip, or argue that it truly wasn’t your fault and you “weren’t guilty,” and he, as the
“
judge,” decided whether to admit you or send you down to the office. Talk about stupid.
    I turned the corner of the hall just in time to see the door to his classroom close. That settled it. I had a pretty good excuse, but I wasn’t going to play his game. I’d just go down and get a late slip.
    â€œHey, I-Man!” a voice yelled behind me.
    I turned. There were five guys walking toward me. I knew them. Everybody knew them. They were the core group of a bunch of losers—kids who were making high school into a career rather than a four-year project. Maybe they figured if they hung around long enough the school would either give them a mercy pass or they’d become so old they would automatically become teachers.
    They shuffled down the hall, and the few kids still around got out of their way. They stopped directly in front of me—well, sort of in front and beside, and one kid shifted over so he was behind me as well. I was surrounded. I felt uneasy and a bit scared.
    â€œSo, we heard you’re the one who’s getting us all a free lunch,” Tony, the biggest of the big guys, said.
    â€œUm, yeah, I guess, maybe.”
    â€œMaybe? What does that mean?” he asked.
    â€œIt’s just that I haven’t really made up my mind what I’m going to do,” I said sheepishly.
    They all looked confused.
    â€œIt’s just that they’re only going to give everybody the lunch if I agree to go online and tell people not to support the boycott,” I explained.
    â€œThat makes sense. You couldn’t really ask people to support a boycott when everybody in the school is eating their food.”
    â€œSo you understand!” I said hopefully.
    â€œI understand good. I understand that if I don’t eat I get a little cranky, and when I get cranky there ain’t no telling what might happen.”
    Tony suddenly reached out, grabbed me by the front of the shirt and slammed me into the lockers. He crowded into me. His friends all moved in closer too.
    â€œNobody cheats me out of a free meal!” Tony snarled.
    â€œI…I could buy you a lunch,” I stammered.
    Tony let go of my shirt but didn’t move. He smiled. No, it wasn’t a smile, it was a smirk.
    â€œYou must be one rich kid,” Tony said.
    â€œIt’s under