Free Breakaway by Kat Spears Page B

out anyway since Jordie didn’t even get what I was talking about, was oblivious to anyone’s feelings but his own.
    Even though I understood why Jordie was pissed at Mario, I was still getting a little sick of Jordie’s attitude. Lately all he seemed to care about was his image—his clothes, his car, spending time at the country club. Part of it was because of Cheryl. She was so shallow, she made Justin Bieber seem like a humanitarian. Jordie spent so much effort lately trying to impress Cheryl, it didn’t leave much time for anything else.
    It surprised me that Mario was arguing so much with Jordie. In the past Mario had always been the mediator, the one who stepped in to stop a fight, to calm everyone down. He hated it when I got into fights—would always try to talk me down before my temper was too far gone. But now Mario was angry, sick of Jordie and his bullshit.
    Mario blew Jordie off and made like he was really into doing reps on the weight machines. Jordie turned to me. “Are you going to say something?” he asked.
    â€œLike what?” I asked impatiently. “I’m not his dad.”
    â€œHe listens to you.”
    I laughed at that and shook my head. “You’re wrong,” I said.
    â€œYeah. He does,” Jordie said. “You guys are besties. You’re the only one he listens to.”
    â€œYou say that like you’re jealous,” Mario said, his eyebrows twisted with a question. “Are you jealous of my relationship with Jaz?”
    But Jordie wasn’t taking the bait this time, was sick of Mario’s shit the same way I was. “Shut up, Mario,” Jordie said. “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”
    â€œI wish you would both shut up,” I said, putting an end to the conversation.
    As I lay back down on the weight bench, I noticed Chick was muttering to himself, talking under his breath so I couldn’t hear what he was saying. This wasn’t the first time I had noticed him talking to himself in a way that could attract curious stares from others. As long as he was with us he seemed okay, but when he was by himself and didn’t know other people were watching, I would notice him carrying on, talking to himself while seemingly unaware of everyone else around him.
    It wasn’t like he was talking to an imaginary person. Maybe this was just how he worked things out, having a conversation with himself about things. It was normal … for Chick, and I didn’t usually pay it any mind. Most people are a little bit crazy. Some are just better at hiding it than others.
    â€œChick,” I said to snap him out of it.
    â€œYeah, Jaz?” he said, taking a few seconds to surface from his daze.
    â€œYou okay to spot me?” I asked.
    â€œYeah, sure. Of course.” He straightened his shoulders as he turned back to the weight bar above me. “Jordie’s so mad,” he said.
    â€œHe’ll get over it,” I said. Chick didn’t look convinced, still looked stressed out and like he might start crying. “Hey, you got me?” I asked. “This thing’s heavy. I don’t want to drop it on my face.”
    â€œYeah,” Chick said. “Yeah, I got you.”
    â€œStop worrying about Jordie and Mario,” I said.
    â€œI’m not worried.” I knew Chick lying, that he was still really bothered by their fight, but I let it go, figuring it was like clouds passing over the sun—we just had to wait it out. And even though I would turn out to be wrong about that, when I looked back later I didn’t see how I could have known.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    Thursday after practice I had to go to the library to finish an assignment for school. Normally I would have used Jordie’s computer, but since he had started hanging out with Cheryl, I didn’t see much of him outside of school and soccer. The Colonel hated it when I went over anyway, had always hated