Read Online Cheating for the Chicken Man by Priscilla Cummings - Free Book Online Page B

it you, Curtis?”
    Kids began stopping to see what would happen next.
    Curtis faked innocence and grinned. He pointed to himself. “Who? Me?”
    Hooper Delaney called out, “Whoa, Curtis! Shame on you!” Then he bent over laughing.
    Curtis threw up his hands. “I didn’t have anything to do with it!”
    â€œYou’re a liar, Curtis!” It was J.T.’s voice from behind Kate.
    Curtis puffed up his chest. “Who’s calling me a liar?”
    â€œI am,” J.T. said without flinching. He was a little bit taller than Curtis, but he didn’t have the bully’s bulk or his muscular arms.
    Curtis lifted a fist. “Nobody calls me a liar! Especially not you, Chicken Man.”
    J.T. slipped off his backpack and curled his own two hands into fists.
    Kate’s mouth dropped. This was like a scene out of a movie! She had never seen J.T. curl his fists at anyone in his entire life! She didn’t think he even knew how to fight! When Curtis pulled his arm back to throw a punch, Kate dropped the crumpled banner and jumped between the boys.
    â€œStop!” she screamed at Curtis before whirling around to face her brother. Lowering her voice, she warned, “J.T., if you fight and get in trouble, they’ll send you back!”
    â€œCome on, Chicken Man, you gonna let your little sister save you? You a coward, too? A coward and a killer?”
    J.T. lunged forward when he heard that, but Kate blocked him, then spun around and used both hands to knock Curtis back, a feat she accomplished only because she took him by surprise.
    A teacher clapped loudly. “What’s going on here?”
    Curtis ducked and slid away into the crowd. Like a snake, Kate thought.
    â€œKate, do
not
say anything,” J.T. whispered urgently.
    The teacher who had clapped stood watching for a few more seconds, then walked back into her classroom.
    The crowd cleared out.
    â€œStay out of it,” J.T. warned Kate again as he gathered his stuff. “I can handle this myself.” He hoisted his backpack and stalked off.
    But Kate was not going to stay out of it. After scooping up the crumpled banner, she grabbed her things and headed toward the school’s main office.
    *
    When the buzzer sounded for first period, Kate was still standing at the front counter waiting to talk to the school secretary. Again, she would be late for class, this time her first biology class and lab. But what else could she do? Ignore what happened? If she did, it would continue. It would get worse.
    There were at least four others waiting for help in front of her. How long would this take? Nervous, Kate bit her lip. Shehoped that J.T. had gone on to class so at least
he
wouldn’t get into trouble.
    Eager to get the report done and return to class, Kate tapped her sandaled foot nervously. While she waited, the girl beside her begged to see the school nurse; “Come on, I’m
dying
!” she moaned. Another boy slapped the counter angrily and declared that someone had stolen the hubcaps off his car.
    Still Kate waited, clutching the crumpled banner.
    â€œCan I help you?” a woman finally asked.
    â€œI need to talk to the principal,” Kate said bravely.
    â€œWhat’s this about?” the secretary asked. She pushed a pencil into her hair, folded her hands on the counter, and tilted her head as she looked at Kate.
    â€œI need to talk to Mrs. Larkin about a case of bullying,” Kate said. She set the crumpled banner on the counter and started to spread it out.
    The secretary didn’t even look at the banner. “Did someone get injured?” she asked.
    â€œNo,” Kate replied, but then changed her mind because J.T.’s feelings had surely been hurt. “I mean yes! My brother!”
    â€œWhere is he?”
    Kate had no idea of J.T.’s schedule. “In class somewhere.”
    â€œDoes he need medical attention?”
    It was Kate’s turn to frown.