Free Unstoppable by Tim Green Page B

door.
    Justin’s face was pale. He swallowed and nodded in the direction Leo and his buddies had gone. “He is such a rat, and now he’s got it in for you big time. His dad’s some lawyer in the district attorney’s office and, I swear, he thinks he rules the world.”
    â€œWhat’s that got to do with me?”
    â€œI’m not sure,” Justin said, “but he said when his dad gets done, you won’t be playing on this team after tomorrow.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven
    â€œCAN HE DO THAT?” Harrison asked.
    â€œOf course not,” Justin said, slamming his locker shut. “He just likes to talk big. Ignore him. The guy’s been smelling too many of his own farts.”
    They laughed together at that and Harrison followed Justin out of the locker room, across the school yard, and down the sidewalk into the center of town, where a handful of teammates waited for them outside the Subway. They all went inside, ordered their subs and sodas, and sat down together to eat.
    Harrison didn’t say much, but he could tell by the way the other boys looked at him that they admired what he’d done on the practice field.
    â€œSo much for Varnett,” a boy named Scott Rutledge said before stuffing the last piece of sub into his mouth. “I hope he enjoys his last game as the starting halfback.”
    Harrison focused his eyes on his bag of chips, thinking of Leo Howard’s words to Justin, even though Justin had told him to ignore the whole thing.
    Justin patted him on the back. “You must have been a terror in Pop Warner. Where’d you play?”
    â€œI didn’t,” Harrison said.
    â€œSure, you just went out there today and ran through the rest of us like a snowplow on a crowded street and it was the first time you carried the football.”
    â€œIt was.”
    Everyone got quiet. There were six of them sitting in the long booth. Harrison was on the end.
    â€œYou’re serious!” Justin said. “Holy moly, can I be your agent?”
    Everyone laughed.
    â€œThat’s why we’ve got to beat East Manfield,” Scott said. “After that, we’ll have the big man here in the backfield and then we can win everything .”
    â€œI don’t think Brookton won a junior high championship in the last ten years, did we?” Justin asked.
    â€œHow could anyone in this region win with Black Creek? Those guys are all like Harrison,” Scott said.
    â€œBlack Creek?” Harrison hadn’t heard mention of the school.
    â€œTheir junior high team has its own turf field. You believe that? These guys live in the weight room from fifth grade on. Their coach is a maniac.”
    â€œHe makes Coach Kelly look like a school nurse,” Rutledge said.
    Everyone laughed.
    â€œNow, if we beat East Manfield—which, how could we not?” Rutledge shrugged. “And, if we get Harrison rolling, even Black Creek can’t hang with us. As long as Leo Howard is full of cat crap—which he usually is—then I’m going to make some space on my dresser for that championship trophy tonight.”
    â€œWhat about Leo?” Harrison asked, glancing at Justin.
    Rutledge took a gulp of soda and waved his hand in the air. “Cat crap. He said something like you’re not eligible to play.”
    â€œHow could I not be eligible?” Harrison asked.
    â€œExactly my point,” Rutledge said.
    â€œHis dad’s with the D.A.,” one of the other boys said.
    â€œSo what?” Justin said. “He’s gonna plant drugs in Harrison’s locker? Or, like, Harrison’s got some kind of criminal record? Like he’s some murderer. Hey, who’d you kill, Harrison?”
    The boys all grinned at him, chuckling at the silly joke.
    â€œHarrison?”

Chapter Twenty-Eight
    HARRISON’S GUT CHURNED AND he choked back the stomach acid in his throat. “You guys are crazy.”
    They all