Read Online Sell Out by Tammy L. Gray - Free Book Online

exactly where I needed to be.

CODY
    I spotted Skylar the minute she walked into the cafeteria. You’d never know from her stance she was the new girl. Head high, posture straight, she moved through the crowded tables like a queen among subjects. And from the number of heads that turned, most of the guys in the room would gladly bow down at her snake-skinned boots. Only they knew better because Blake had staked his claim with one push of an empty chair.
    Something bounced off my forehead. “You’re staring.”
    I looked down at the mangled fry on my tray and tossed it back to Chugger. “So what?”
    “So, if Blake sees you he’s going to have a coronary. Just be less obvious.” Chugger glanced where my eyes had been moments ago. “Who’s she sitting with?”
    “I don’t know, but I think I had Poli Sci with the dark-haired girl last year. Zoe or something like that. She talked constantly.”
    Chugger spat out food when he laughed, reminding me why he’d kept his nickname all these years. “Oh, yeah. I had her in my Biology II class. I’m pretty sure she wanted some of this.” He pointed to his chest and bounced his eyebrows. “But Karrisa was also in our group and, wow, that girl gave the best private study sessions. Speaking of which, I need to call her again.”
    My gaze traveled back to Skylar’s table. “You’re disgusting.”
    “And proud of it.”
    As if Skylar sensed me watching, she turned. Our eyes locked for one, two, three counts before I forced my attention back to my food.
    Chugger leaned in and spoke in a hushed whisper. “Did you hear about Henry?”
    My heart stuttered, but I kept my face relaxed. “Nah. What happened?”
    “A couple of guys jumped him after second period. He was in the nurse’s office when I went by to get some Tylenol for the massive cramps in my legs. Stupid practice. But, yeah, he was in bad shape.”
    “He say who did it?”
    “No, of course not. His mouth is what got him into this mess to begin with. If you ask me, it’s all a test to see if he’s learned his lesson.”
    Bile burned the back of my mouth as Fatty James floated across my ear like a whisper. “That’s sick.”
    “Hey, I don’t make the rules. I just follow them. Henry should have too.” He jammed his fries in the ketchup and stuffed them in his mouth.
    My appetite was gone. Shoved down with the words I couldn’t let out. I pushed away my tray desperately wishing Chugger would shut up.
    “I bet Principal Rayburn schedules another one of those bullying rallies. What’s he had, like six of them in the last year? Dude needs to give it up. Nobody’s gonna talk about the list.”
    “The list?” I shouldn’t ask. Every time I learned a new ritual, I was expected to participate. The last one left me half-naked and puking in the bathroom. My first and last Tequila morning.
    Chugger shook his head and went back to talking with his mouth full. “I forget how out of the loop you are sometimes. It’s nothing. Besides, in this case, it’s probably good you can claim ignorance.”
    “Why’s that?” I stiffened and searched between the lines of his words. “Do you know who attacked Henry?”
    He leveled a stare. “I told you. I don’t know anything. Just like you.”
    I sat back, but my nerves felt raw. I rubbed at my neck, trying to take the growing tension out of it. Skylar’s laughter floated across the loud space, and Chugger and I looked over at the same time.
    Blake. Hand on her shoulder. Smile on his face. One of the girls shifted over, and he sat next to Skylar like they’d already had a first date.
    “I’m out,” I said and stood to leave.
    Chugger stood too and grabbed his tray. “Whatever you gotta do. Just get that girl out of your head before you do something stupid.” His warning lingered while he strolled over to Skylar’s table and sat opposite Blake. The way Zoe played with her hair and giggled confirmed Chugger wasn’t too far off base about her admiration.
    I