Read Online Galgorithm by Aaron Karo - Free Book Online Page B

second of all, a month ago you were wearing dumpy jeans your mom bought you, so let’s keep things in perspective. I’m not a miracle worker.”
    Reed nods. “Fair enough.”
    I admire the cloudless sky for a moment.
    Then all of a sudden I’m forced to scream: “LOOK OUT!”
    Reed and I duck for our lives as a baseball flies over us, narrowly missing our heads and smashing violently into the bleachers about ten rows behind us with a THWACK!
    At first I think it’s a foul ball from batting practice. But then I spot Harrison marching toward the bleachers. I’m pretty sure he threw that ball.
    â€œUh oh,” Reed murmurs.
    Harrison’s short fuse is well documented. His adrenaline is always pumping, and he never forgets a slight. That’s ­probably what makes him a star athlete—and the last guy you’d want to have it out for you since seventh grade. He glares at us menacingly as he starts to climb the bleacher steps. His practice uniform has been hastily thrown on like hejust learned of our presence and bolted from the locker room. In retrospect, the baseball field was probably a poor choice of locations for my powwow with Reed.
    â€œI’ve been looking for you two,” he says when he reaches us.
    â€œDid you throw that at us?” I ask. “Are you crazy?”
    â€œCalm down, Chambliss,” he huffs. “I would have hit you if I wanted to.”
    â€œCongratulations,” I say. “What’s the problem?”
    â€œYou,” Harrison says, pointing a finger in Reed’s face. I have to admit, for a split second I’m actually kinda glad I’m not the problem for once.
    â€œMe? What did I do?” Reed says.
    â€œWere you out with Rebecca Larabie last night?”
    â€œUh . . . I mean, technically, but—”
    â€œ I’m with her.”
    It’s a little scary how angry he is.
    â€œI thought that was supposed to be a secret,” I venture.
    â€œAnd you!” Harrison repeats, now pointing his grubby finger at me. “Don’t think I forgot about the college fair. What the hell were you doing with Rebecca? Were you hitting on her?”
    â€œOh, he was just running a wedge,” Reed interjects.
    â€œShut up!” Harrison shouts.
    Reed puts his hands up in surrender.
    â€œIf I see or hear of either of you talking to Rebecca again . . .” He cracks his knuckles. His message is loud and clear.
    â€œAll right,” I say. “We’re sorry.”
    Reed looks at me like I did something wrong. Hey, sometimes it’s okay to apologize.
    Harrison thankfully turns to leave . . . but then suddenly turns back and glares at me again.
    â€œWhat now?” I say.
    â€œMake sure you throw that in the trash.”
    â€œHuh?”
    Then I realize he’s referring to the straw wrapper in my hand.
    â€œIt’s not cool to litter,” he says.
    Before I can even respond, he turns around again and exits down the bleachers.
    Reed and I don’t say anything for a full minute.
    â€œWhat the hell just happened?” I finally mutter when we catch our breath.
    â€œI have no idea,” he says. “But you better throw that thing out.”

14
    TRISTEN HAS AN EXTREMELY BUSY social calendar, and it’s been proving more difficult than I expected to lock down a night for our next date. So when she casually mentioned that she was going to the mall this afternoon, I offered to drive and take her to lunch. This is certainly not the romantic venue I envisioned for our second date and first solo affair, but I’ll have to make the most of it.
    First we check out the department stores, where Tristen has every cologne dealer douse me with a sample so that she can smell it. As per my advice to Reed, I like to spritz cologne into the air and then mosey through the cloud, but these salespeople are aggro and hitting me with direct shots. Once I get sprayed with the same cologne that