Read Online Busted by Antony John - Free Book Online Page A

right? You’ve got to face those guys and say ‘no, I won’t be involved in this.’ This isn’t who you are, Kevin. Brandon’s an asshole. You’re not.”
    â€œWhy do you hate him so much?”
    â€œLet’s just say I have my reasons.”
    â€œLike what?”
    Silence. I can hear Abby breathing heavily. “Freshman year, he asked me out.”
    â€œWha t ?”
    â€œIt was just his little joke. He had his entourage with him, and I knew he wasn’t serious. And I wouldn’t have dated him even if he had been. But I felt so … powerless, you know? Knowing I was about to become the butt of his joke and there was nothing I could do about it. If I said yes, he’d just laugh. If I said no, he’d say he wasn’t serious anyway. So I didn’t say anything. After a few seconds he smiled and told me not to stress about it, that he’d get over it soon. He looked s o serious you’d almost believe he meant it, except that behind him all his cronies were snickering like it was the funniest thing they’d ever heard. The whole thing only lasted a moment, and I don’t think any of them ever thought about it again. But I’ve never forgotten.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell me before?”
    â€œWhy do you think? Because it was humiliating.”
    â€œBut that’s just Brandon being Brandon. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”
    More silence, and this time I can’t even hear her breathing. “Oh. I see.”
    â€œI’m not saying it was a nice thing to do, Abby—”
    â€œPlease, Kevin,” she says suddenly, earnestly. “Please believe me. You don’t want to be like them.” She hesitates, swallows hard. “And I don’t want you to be like them.”
    She says it so kindly, so tenderly, that I feel grateful to her in spite of her earlier forecasts of dismemberment and castration.
    I walk over to my bedroom window and look out. I see Abby’s face framed by her bedroom window, her hair draped loosely over her shoulders, a halo glowing around her from the light behind. Her eyes appear moist, but it’s probably just a trick of the light. As I continue to gaze at her, it’s like I’m looking at an angel. And although I know she’s not everybody’s idea of beautiful, right now I can’t help feeling that she might be mine.

11
    I avoid Ms. Kowalski’s gaze throughout English, which isn’t hard to do as I’m sitting next to Paige Tramell.
    Yes, Paige Tramell!
    I was waiting to see if I might get lucky with Morgan and Taylor again when Paige just plopped down next to me and began talking. She said how weird it was to have that professor come in yesterday, and how she’d never join a Women’s Studies class like some of the other girls, and if they weren’t all so freakin’ ugly they wouldn’t need feminism, and anyway the professor looked like a bag lady.
    We launch into an extended critique of Mom’s flowery dress, at which point Ms. K asks us to shut up or enjoy detention together. Paige just rolls her eyes at me and rubs my leg, and for the second time in two days I wonder if my hard-on will wear off before I have to stand up.
    At the end of class, Paige leans in and places a hand on my knee. “Look,” she says. “I understand if you’re not interested, but I’d really like to go on a date with you.”
    â€œ … ”
    â€œI said, I’d like to go on a date with you.”
    I’m so shocked that I can’t actually speak, which makes the conversation somewhat stilted.
    Paige waits a few seconds, then shakes her head mournfully. “I understand if you don’t find me attractive. I’d just really hoped that maybe you might find me … bearable,” she chokes.
    I’m still struggling to locate my vocal cords, but eventually I manage: “I do … find you