Free Awakenings by Edward Lazellari Page A

designed the stacks so that there would never be too many extractions from one area, thus bringing the construction down. Daniel employed pyramids, helixes, double helixes, and a few shapes of his own invention, which he was unaware that engineering students spent entire semesters on. The patrons deconstructed these temples of frugality without realizing they were part of a preordained strategy.
    Daniel finished setting up boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios just as Adrian polished off his third low-fat ice cream sandwich.
    “Your shift’s over,” Daniel said. “Don’t you have anything better to do than to watch me work?”
    “Nope.”
    Daniel glanced at register three where Katie Millar scanned items and made small talk with the locals.
    “Well, go home or something,” Daniel said.
    Adrian looked like the Antarctic explorer whose mission commander just ordered him to go for a stroll in the middle of July. Daniel glanced out the store’s big front windows at the clear night sky, but from his expression it was obvious Adrian saw a blizzard.
    “I ain’t botherin’ no one. So what happened in Conklin’s office?” Adrian asked, changing the subject.
    “He slung some bullshit. No, that’s not right … first he bored me to tears, then he slung the shit.”
    Daniel thought about the actions that led to his predicament. The real world vanished when he drew pictures. His mind took him to better places, where the lines between good and evil, right and wrong were crystal clear. It was like stepping into a different universe.
    “The school’s going to tell Clyde he owes them five hundred dollars for the desks,” Daniel said.
    Adrian perked up. “No! Can’t you talk them out of it?”
    “Only if I come up with the money by Monday. How much you got in your pocket?”
    Adrian checked his pockets. He looked like a lost cause with crumbs on his lips and collar and cream dotting his ample chin. Daniel rolled his eyes.
    “Hello … sarcasm,” Daniel snapped, handing his friend a napkin.
    “Oh,” Adrian blinked, “no need to get snippy.”
    “Sorry.” Daniel stole another glance at Katie. She saw him, smiled, and waved before resuming her scans.
    “Conklin always hires his cousin to do carpentry jobs,” Adrian said. “Guy can’t keep regular work ’cause of the hooch.”
    “Alcohol seems to screw me no matter who’s drinking it,” Daniel said.
    “Spend the night at my house,” Adrian offered. “You can walk home with me.”
    Daniel cocked a suspicious eyebrow at his friend. “Not for nothing, Ade, but you wouldn’t by any chance be in trouble with them Grundy boys again?”
    Adrian’s face dropped all pretenses. “They got it in good for me, Danny.”
    “Take a swing at them for once, Ade. Jeez, you outweigh both of them by twenty pounds.”
    “I can’t. I don’t know why I get so scared. My feet don’t move. I feel heavy, like in a dream when you can’t run.”
    Daniel felt a momentary disgust toward his friend. If only his own problems came in the stature of the Grundy boys.
    “Ade, what are the odds that the Grundy boys are lying in wait for you, tonight?” Daniel asked. “They’re probably home tonight watching WWE SmackDown. I think their aunt’s in a cage match.”
    “You don’t know that.”
    “Why are you so sure they’re looking for you?”
    “I didn’t let them copy off my math test.”
    “You suck at math.”
    “I got a C plus. They didn’t do as well. Like it’s my fault they’re stupid.”
    “So, let them cheat.”
    “Mama said it ain’t right to cheat or help a cheater.”
    “Then let Mama come get you. Go home.”
    “Aw hell, you just wanna walk with Katie alone after shift.”
    “It’s the only chance I get anymore. She’s having lunch with the ‘in’ crowd these days.”
    Daniel realized how much he had taken Katie for granted over the past two years. He thought they would be buds forever. Things were changing. As his desires for girls grew, he noticed