Read Online Max Baker: Guardian of the Ninth Sector by Matthew Cronan - Free Book Online Page B

motioning toward the group.  “This girl that you’ve pined over for the last three years, your one and only… is not the same girl that you and I once knew.”  The group got in the line for food as Noah continued on his diatribe.   One of Corey’s lackey’s motioned over toward Max and Noah, and the brute removed his arm from around Kennedy’s shoulder.  “The girl you and I knew never came back from Kansas,” Noah said, shoveling more food into his mouth.  “The girl you and I knew…she’s lost in OZ somewhere.”  Corey broke off from the group and headed over toward them.
    “Well this can’t be good,” Noah said.
    “No,” Max replied. “Probably not.”
    “Baker!” Corey barked as he approached the table.
    Max slowly rose from the table. If he was going to be punched in the face, he’d rather be standing up than sitting down.  He didn’t have a good reason for it, but felt that it was the better of the two options.
    Corey dwarfed Max, standing nearly a foot taller than him as the two squared off.  Corey’s athletic build made Max’s average frame look small and dainty; the quarterback’s biceps bulged in the sleeves of a t-shirt that was two sizes too small.  Max could see the entire lunchroom looking over toward them.
    “What’s this I hear about you eyeballing my girl this morning?” Corey asked, shoving him back down to his seat.
    “I wasn’t eyeballing anyone,” Max said, getting back to his feet. “You know how Mr. Shook is always looking to embarrass somebody.” 
    Max had been in one fight his entire life.  He was in fifth grade, and Sean Adams had put gum in Kennedy’s hair during recess.  Her hair was long back then, almost down to her lower back.  She had come to school the next day with hair that just barely touched the top of her neck.  Max had punched Sean in the arm as hard as he could. The boy had run off crying and told their teacher on him.  It was a cheap victory, but a victory nonetheless.
    Max tried his best to stand up tall.  He puffed his chest out slightly and clinched his jaw.  This tactic didn’t seem to frighten Corey in the least, and instead resulted in him taking a step closer.  He looked down at Max, staring straight through him.
    “Corey, I was eyeballing your mom last night,” Noah said. His voice was shaky.  “You want to talk about that too?”  Corey shot Noah an angry look, and he piped back down. 
    Corey had moved to Forest Valley the same year Kennedy had.  He had hit puberty the year before everyone else had, so he skipped through the awkward squeaky voice phase to the deep manly one that he now possessed.  Corey had quickly taken over the reigns as the middle school quarterback. As they transitioned to high school, he skipped over the junior varsity squad and moved straight into the starting role of the varsity team.
    Max and Noah had disliked Corey for a long time, but that was only amplified when they all reached high school.  The first week of their freshman year, Corey and his goon squad knocked one of the nerdy kids on the chess team into a 50 gallon trashcan and then rolled him down the stairs out into the courtyard.  Corey was handsome, athletic and a bully – what wasn’t there to hate?
    “I promise,” Max said, chest to chest with Corey, “I wasn’t eyeballing your girl.”
    “Let’s hope that’s the case, Baker,” Corey said, bending down slightly and talking directly to Max’s ear.  “I’d hate to have to beat your ass right here in front of your little loverboy and your secret crush.  Now that would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?”
    Max could feel warm spittle hit his ear as Corey barked into his ear.  He thought of how Gorthon had stood over him in the same manner.  Max clinched his fist as he felt his heart begin to race in his chest. 
    “But it’d almost be worth it, wouldn’t it?” Corey asked. His hot breath poured into Max’s ear.  “Beating you up and getting suspended would