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them.

88.
    â€œI’m screwed,” Adam tells Brian O’Donnell.
    He should be at home right now, working on homework, but he needs a quick jay and some conversation.
    He’s stressing, man.
    Bugging out.
    And he can’t talk to Sam about it, because it’s all about the homework scheme, which he still hasn’t copped to.
    (In fact, Adam’s supposed to be hanging with Sam right now. He told Sam he had a date with Victoria, told him he was double-booked and had to bail.
    Sam was cool with it.
    â€œCall me later,” Sam told him. “Give me the play-by-play.”)
    Brian passes the jay. Brian listens as Adam lays out the situation. “Why don’t you just quit?” Brian says. “You got a hot chick who wants to be seen with you. What more do you need?”
    â€œVictoria?” Adam shakes his head. “Way out of my league. She’ll bolt the minute the gods forget my name. Besides, I have to do homework to make money to take her on dates.”
    Brian takes the jay back. “It’s like that, huh?”
    â€œIt’s like that,” Adam says. He thinks for a minute. Paces a little. “I need the cash to take Victoria out. But I can’t take Victoria out if I’m working too much.”
    â€œSo cut back,” Brian says. “Turn down a few projects.”
    Adam shakes his head.
    Adam has a better idea.
    â€œWhat I need,” Adam says, “is to get paid without doing the work.”
    Brian laughs. “Don’t we all.”
    But Adam’s serious.
    Adam has a plan.

89.
    Adam slaves away all weekend. Somehow finishes every last assignment. Somehow manages to carve out a few hours with Victoria—
    (spends those hours making out with her in the park. Slides his hand halfway up her shirt before she pushes it away.)
    Stays up late Sunday night finishing off his own homework and nearly sleeps through first period Monday morning. Barely gets all those assignments back to their owners in time.
    Barely avoids disaster.
    ( I need a change , Adam thinks. Now .)
    Fortunately, change is coming.
    Adam is on a mission.
    He scours the school all week. He’s looking for somebody.

90.
    First, Adam thinks:
    Maybe Darren.
    Darren’s pretty cool. Darren’s about the only guy who’s legitimately nice to Adam at Nixon. Even invites him out sometimes.
    (“Can’t,” Adam tells him. “Too much homework.”)
    But Darren’s a B-student. And Darren has friends.
    Darren has a life .
    Darren’s unsuitable.

91.
    See, Adam has particular needs. He’s looking for a loner.
    A nerd.
    A genius.
    A loser like him.
    He searches the library, the computer lab, scouts out the debate team and the student council.
    It takes all week, but Adam finds the perfect candidate.
    His name is Wayne Tristovsky.

92.
    Wayne Tristovsky:
    Captain of the Academic Challenge team.
    (Basically a bunch of nerds who meet in the history homeroom at lunchtime to answer trivia questions.)
    Wayne Tristovsky:
    Zero friends.
    Wayne Tristovsky:
    Perfect.

93.
    The truth of the matter is that everyone at Nixon thinks Wayne’s a big asshole.
    An arrogant prick.
    Kind of a douchebag.
    He wears Guess and Abercrombie and Lacoste like the rest of the school. But he’s too damn smart and full of himself for his own good.
    Plus, someone said they saw him picking his nose in math class. And that kind of thing will make you a pariah.
    Wayne’s a loser. Wayne’s a nobody. Wayne always eats lunch solo.
    Adam corners Wayne in the hall after Academic Challenge practice. Introduces himself. Asks him, “You want a job?”
    Wayne looks him up and down. Wayne’s eyes narrow. “Do I know you?”
    â€œNo,” Adam says, “but you want to. I’m the guy who’s going to put a hundred bucks in your hand every week. You interested?”
    â€œI’m not selling drugs,” Wayne says. “Sorry.”
    Adam laughs.