That Boy by Jillian Dodd Read Free Book Online Page A

room? Did Coach think it was broken?”
    Coach is a great guy. He's coached winning teams at Westown for years, and everyone respects him, but EXCUSE ME, is the man a doctor ?
    I think not.
    “No. He thought it was just a deep bruise, but I don't agree,” I say, shaking my head like I'm an expert.
    I practically am, really.
    “It's hot to the touch, and the skin is all swollen and shiny. So either you're gonna have to share some of your
stash
with him to get him through the night, or he needs to go and get an x-ray. And definitely some pain pills. The boy is very crabby.”
    “Shit,” says Danny's dad. “JJ, can you hand me the phone?” Then he announces, “I'm going to call Dr. Rohm and tell him to meet us at the hospital.”
    “I don't think that's a good idea,
Chuck
,” Mrs. Diamond says to her husband. Then she turns to me and says, “JJ, do you think
you
could take him? We weren't planning on going anywhere tonight, and none of us,” she looks pointedly at Mr. D, “should be driving.”
    Obviously.
    So I say, “Yeah, we'll take him.”
    “Thanks, honey,” she replies, “his insurance card is in the cubby by the desk. He's 18, so there shouldn't be any problems. We'll have Dr. Rohm meet you there.”
    “Drive careful,” Mom tells me.
    I think that it's ridiculous that they can't take their son to the hospital, and no one is giving me any credit for caring enough about him to discover that his arm is broken. So I decide to point this out, just to let them know they all OWE ME BIG.
    So I raise my arms in the air and say, “FYI everyone, just wanted to let you know that I've earned myself a Get Out of Jail Free card .”
    “What do you mean?” Dad asks, eyeing me suspiciously.
    I point at him and look him in the eye, so he knows I am serious. “I mean
next time
someone wants to ground me, I'm turning that card in.”

    Phillip drives while Danny and I sit in the back seat. Danny's head is resting on my shoulder, his sore arm's lying across my lap, and I'm gently stroking his swollen fingers.
    Yeah, I know.
    Many, many girls would practically kill to be in my position. And let's face it, even I am not immune to Danny's charm. But right now that's like the last thing on my mind because I know all too well what broken bones feel like. I've broken my right arm, my left wrist and three different fingers, while playing football with these boys. And I couldn't even begin to count the numerous sprains, bruises, cuts and stitches. So instead of feeling slightly turned on, I just feel like I'm going to cry.
    And that's weird, because I didn't even cry when I broke my own bones.

    Oh and FYI to all you doubters out there, Danny's arm was indeed broken.
    I was RIGHT!
    I love it when that happens!

I'm sitting in my room, curled up on my window seat, reading a great book. I'm having a hard time putting it down because I'm dying to find out if Madison will end up with Chase, and if they'll be able to solve the mystery and return the stolen diamond before the Mafia hit man gets them. I only have a few chapters left, and although I want to peek at the ending, I could
never
do that.
    It would ruin a perfectly good story!
    Just as I am getting to a really steamy part, where Chase
accidentally
walks in on Madison while she is in the shower.
    Accidental, my ass.
    My phone rings.
    It's Lisa. Dang it! She is so chatty. I may never get her off this phone! She is regaling me with the story of Christmas at her father's crazy relatives, and I am half listening, half reading, when a huge snowball splats on my window, scaring me to death and causing me to drop both my book and the phone. I bend down, pick up the phone and put it back up to my ear, just as another snowball hits my window.
    “What was that?” Lisa cries in my ear.
    “Sorry, I dropped you. Someone is throwing snowballs at my window. It scared the crap out of me.”
    “Well, who is it?” she snaps impatiently.
    I glance out and see Danny holding a football up in