Free Teenie by Christopher Grant Page A

ago.”
    “Don’t worry about the math test. I’ll help you with that.”
    “Okay. But I still gotta convince my dad to let me go.”
    “You haven’t talked to your parents about it yet?”
    “I wanted to get the scholarship first. I want to make it as hard as possible for my dad to say no because he ALWAYS says no.”
    “Why wouldn’t he let you go?”
    “He always comes up with some stupid excuse.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah. I’m sure he’ll say something like one of his friends knew someone who knew someone that went to Spain and got bitten by a mosquito and caught West Nile virus or something.”
    “Wow … well then, you need to make sure you’re prepared.”
    “How am I going to do that?”
    “Practice how the conversation would go with me. I’ll be you, you be him.”
    When we get to the center section on the first floor, I look around for Cherise but don’t see her. “Alright, but just until Cherise gets here.”
    “Hi, Daddy,” he says, in a really high-pitched voice.
    “I don’t sound like that, stupid,” I say, and slap his arm.
    “I know, I’m just messing with you. Hi, Dad.”
    “Hey, Martine. Come, let’s eat dinner.”
    “Well, I wanted to talk to you about—”
    I signal time-out with my hands to stop him. “See, thatjust won’t happen. He’s not going to hear a word I’m saying if he doesn’t get to eat first.”
    “Point taken. Okay, Dad, I’ll fix your plate for you.”
    I perk up. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea.”
    “Oh, I don’t mind at all.”
    I forgot I’m supposed to be in character. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
    “So how was your day today?”
    I signal time-out again. “That’s risky. Once he starts talking, I’ll never get a word in.”
    “So, Daddy, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. It’s a study abroad opportunity called YSSAP. It’s a prestigious program that my school offers to only the top students. I’ve been accepted on a conditional basis but I—”
    “How much does it cost?”
    “There’s a scholarship—”
    “How much does it cost?”
    Garth shrugs his shoulders. “Sorry, Teenie. I’m not sure how to answer that one.”
    “No worries. I gotta go anyway. There’s Cherise. I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow.”
    “Okay. Just tell him about all the things you’re going to be doing. I can’t see how it won’t work,” he says with a smile.
    Garth walks with me toward her and raises his hand to say hello. Cherise makes him pay for his bravery when she points to the exit door and says, “Keep walkin’!!!”
    Garth drops his head and sulks his way to the exit.
    “Why’d you do that, Cherise?”
    “Sometimes you gotta put people in their place beforethey get the wrong idea. Just because me and you is friends don’t mean I gotta socialize with nerds.”
    “You don’t have to be so mean to him. He’s so nice. He probably just wanted to—”
    “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway … I’m meeting up with my friend at Penn Station tonight. He said he wants to make up for yesterday.”
    “Why can’t you just keep your butt in the house?”
    “Because I made plans and I don’t want to stay in the house. What’s wrong with me going out?”
    “I don’t know. I kind of have a bad feeling. Maybe it’s like woman’s intuition or something.”
    “Woman’s intuition? What the hell do you know about woman’s intuition? You’re fourteen, Teenie.”
    “I don’t know. I’m just getting a weird feeling.”
    “Yeah, it’s called jealousy.”
    “Shut up.”
    “And when did you start giving me advice about boys? Are you serious?”
    “No … I just want you to be careful, that’s all.”
    “Uh-huh. Don’t worry, I will. Let’s hurry up and get to the gym before we can’t get in.”
    Okay …

Chapter 9
    T he gymnasium is packed, standing-room-only on the sidelines. We had to sneak in through the boys’ locker room because there was a line halfway down the hallway from the gym door.