Free Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski Page B

breadsticks with her parents and younger sister, she would telepathically discover that she had been born with a sixth finger on her left hand, which had been promptly removed and never spoken of again.
    Um, surprise?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Something Funny’s Going On Around Here
    Cooper sang to himself as he hurried up the stairs to school. As usual, he was late. This time he was late because Ashley, his three-year-old sister, would not let go of the leg of his jeans. She hadn’t wanted him to leave. “Let’s play Spider-Man!” she’d hollered. When she finally let go, she insisted on going with him to the elevator to press the button. He adored his sister, but she made it infinitely more difficult to leave the apartment.
    He slept in by accident. He’d been up late the night before. The baseball game had gone into overtime. Eleven innings. The Yankees had beaten Baltimore, finally, 4–3. They needed to win two more games to go to the Championship Series. After the game was over, he’d had trouble falling asleep. He’d been thinking about Mackenzie and trying to figure out what was going on with her. Something was up; he just wasn’t sure what. When they’d spoken the night before, she had sounded distant.
    “You okay?” he asked.
    “Yeah. Fine,” she said, her voice clipped.
    It was with this in mind that he dumped his books into his locker and hurried to homeroom. He was looking forward to seeing her.
    “What’s up, 10B!” Cooper sang. “Can I get a boo-ya?”
    Usually we responded to his chant. On this day, though, we just stared at him. No one said a word. Not even Nick or Mackenzie.
    He tried again. “10B! I cannot hear your boo-ya!”
    Again we didn’t respond.
    He looked confused. He was confused. Understandably. Every day for all of September at least some of us had responded to his boo-ya. That day we were all too busy mentally talking to each other.
    And what we were saying was this: Everyone in our homeroom could read minds. Everyone except Renée, Adam McCall, and Cooper.
    I get why Renée and Adam can’t—they didn’t get the vaccine. But why can’t Cooper do it?
    He got the shot, didn’t he?
    He did!
    Did anyone see him get the shot?
    Mackenzie did. She went in with him.
    Mackenzie was in the back row. Tess was sitting to her right. Cooper would take the spot on her left.
    Levi, BJ, and Courtney were all in the row in front of her.
    Yes, Mackenzie thought. I just hope it didn’t work on him. Damn, I didn’t mean to think that!
    Mackenzie’s glad he doesn’t have it! Courtney thought.
    Why? thought BJ.
    I don’t know! replied Courtney.
    Stop thinking about me! Mackenzie ordered.
    Mackenzie always thinks everything is about her, Courtney thought.
    Excuse me? I do not.
    Why wouldn’t you want Cooper to have it? BJ asked, twisting around to look at her. Unless there’s something you’re not telling him. Did you lie to him? Did you cheat on him?
    The name Bennett popped into Mackenzie’s head before she could stop it. She clenched her eyes closed immediately, but it was too late.
    Way too late.
    “Bennett who goes to Westside?” Courtney blurted out.
    Oh no, oh no, oh no. Mackenzie didn’t want to give anything else away, but she wanted—she needed —to know what the others were thinking. She opened her eyes.
    “What about Bennett who goes to Westside? I know a Bennett who goes to Westside.” said Jordana, who was sitting next to Courtney.
    He’s the guy Mackenzie cheated on Cooper with. He lives in her building. He’s hot.
    BJ shook his head in dismay. Mackenzie cheated on Cooper with a private school guy? Rough. Cooper doesn’t deserve that.
    Mackenzie cheated on Cooper!
    Why would she cheat on Cooper?
    Slut!
    Bitch!
    Mackenzie gripped Tess’s hand.
    It wasn’t me, I swear, Tess thought.
    BJ was staring at both of them. So it’s true?
    Can you just stop talking about this, please? Mackenzie begged. She spotted Nick in the front of the classroom. Nick was friends with