Free sidewayz glory by Todd Strasser, Sammy Yuen Jr., CRAIG PHILLIPS Page B

club and she’s not here.”
    Kennin glanced at the trailer. The windows were dark. “When was the last time you saw her?”
    â€œFour or five days ago,” Jack answered.
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œThe club.”
    He was lying. The last time Jack had seen Shinchou was when he left her in room nine at the Time Out motel. But Kennin couldn’t reveal that without Jack figuring out who’d broken the windshield of his ’vette.
    They’d reached a standoff. Kennin’s thoughts raced as he tried to figure out if he could use this situation to his advantage. After all, Jack was the SOB who not only had messed up his sister, but also had forced Tito to loosen the lug nuts on Angelita’s car.
    â€œYour sister owes me a boatload of money. Sooner or later she’s gonna show up, and when she does, believe me, boy, she’s gonna pay.” The jackass turned around and got into the Escalade. The lights flashed on and the SUV rumbled out of the trailer park. Kennin watched the red taillights disappear into the passing traffic. He breathed a sigh of relief. Once again he’d managed to protect his sister. But there was a ton of money on the line, and sooner or later Jack and his goons would be back.

    Kennin climbed up the loose cinder-block steps to the trailer. He unlocked the door, stepped inside, and turned on the lights. An envelope was lying on the floor just inside the doorway. Kennin tore it open. Inside was an eviction notice for nonpayment of rent. Kennin crushed the notice into a ball and shot it into the garbage can. Looked like he and his sister just couldn’t catch a break.

12
    the CAT drivers went on strike. Thanks to the major delays and cancellations on bus routes, Kennin didn’t get to school until lunchtime.
    â€œYou’re late,” Tito said, while Kennin dumped some books and his jacket into his locker. Las Vegas might be sunny, but it wasn’t always warm. At least not in early December. On the really chilly mornings Kennin wore a camouflage jacket over a hoodie.
    â€œNo kidding.” Kennin closed his locker door and started toward the cafeteria.
    â€œWhere’s the cane?” Tito asked, walking alongside him.
    â€œDecided to try a day without it,” Kennin answered. He’d been doing the exercises his doctor had suggested, and his leg felt stronger and steadier.
    â€œThey’re starting the real tryouts for the Babylon Drift Team,” Tito said. “You don’t want to miss your shot.”
    Kennin wasn’t so sure about that. And anyway, there was something else getting in the way. “I got a problem, Tito. It’s spelled
n-o-c-a-r.
”
    â€œNocar,” Tito repeated. “Oh, no car?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œMaybe you can borrow one,” Tito said.
    â€œSure, people are lining up to lend their cars to the guy who totaled your sister’s 240 SX,” Kennin said, not bothering to hide his bitterness.
    Tito’s face colored. The implication was obvious. When he’d loosened those lug nuts he’d done a lot more than trash his sister’s car and break Kennin’s leg. He’d also gone a long way toward destroying Kennin’s reputation as a drifter. Tito hung his head.
    â€œDude, I told you I was sorry. That Jack guy was gonna break my frickin’ legs. I didn’t know what to do. I was scared.”
    Kennin believed him. Someone else might have handled the situation differently. Maybe they would have disappeared into the brush, or locked themselves in a car. Kennin didn’t know what the exact circumstances had been. He just knew that Tito hadn’t spent a lot of time around bad dudes and, as a result, tended to scare easily.
    â€œIf the buses are on strike, how’re you gonna get to work after school today?” Tito asked.
    â€œDon’t know,” Kennin said.
    â€œYou want, you can ride on the pegs of my bike,” Tito offered.
    The idea of