Read Online The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram - Free Book Online

through the seven stages of grief. I need an impartial perspective, and you’ve already helped me get past the shock and denial stages. I managed the bargaining on my own. Sadly, it was rather pathetic, but then if you hadn’t encouraged me to lay it all out to Aiden, I probably wouldn’t have done that, either. So, really, you’ve helped me through them all so far. Now all you have to do is help me through the rest. Help me past my guilt and then the anger. Cheer me up when I get depressed, and finally, walk me through acceptance.”
    Grayson stared at me, dumbfounded. “You’re saying that you want me to take you out and help you get over Aiden in any way I deem necessary—”
    “I don’t think I ever said that .”
    “Nope. I’m the unbiased opinion, remember? If we do this, you have to do what I say.”
    “Within reason,” I argued.
    “Within reason,” Grayson agreed. “I make you forget my brother ever existed by taking you out on lots of really fun dates, and I get extra credit for that?”
    “You’d have to keep a journal of it all. We’d have to catalog our experiments, compile our findings into an organized study, but yes. Basically.”
    Grayson still looked skeptical. “And that’s considered science ?”
    I nodded. “Social Science. It’s the study of people and relationships.”
    Grayson’s jaw fell open. He blinked a few times and then let out an incredulous laugh. “You’ve got to be shitting me!”
    “Mr. Kennedy, you’re already in detention!” Mr. Walden released an exasperated sigh.
    “Sorry. It’s just, that actually sounds fun.” Grayson looked at me, still in a bit of shock. “You’ve got yourself deal, Aves. Consider me your science partner.”
    Mr. Walden clapped with satisfaction. “Great! It’s settled then. Welcome to science club, Grayson.”
    “Wait, what?”
    Mr. Walden chuckled. “That’s my part of the deal. You want the extra credit, you take your brother’s place in the science club. You come to the meetings, work on your project with Avery, and you attend the actual science fair with the team in March.”
    “You’re not serious, Mr. Walden. Join the freaking science club? That’s social suicide , not social science!”
    “I am deadly serious. This is very important to Avery and the others. I will not let you take advantage of Avery’s work ethics. You will pull your weight and be a part of the team, or you can sign up for after school tutoring and hope you get your grade up before the end of the season.”
    “Grayson, just say yes,” I begged. “We’ve already taken our photo for the yearbook. I’ll swear the gang to secrecy. No one will ever have to know.”
    Grayson gaped at my friends, who’d been hanging on every word of our conversation and were all staring back at him in just as much shock.
    “Please?” I whispered, taking his hand. “Do this for me?”
    Grayson took one look at my desperate, pleading face and gave in.
    I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek as I squealed my thanks.
    “And you said I’m cruel.” He shook his head as I stepped back. “All I ever do is tease you. You just turned me into a dork.”

Grayson
    Okay, we will not discuss the fact that I am now an official member of the science club. I mean it. I almost said no to the entire deal because of the science club thing. Seriously, I think I’d rather fail physics and get kicked off the basketball team. But then Avery was there, hitting me full force with those big, hopeful eyes, and I couldn’t let her down.
    She doesn’t understand the power she has with those beauties. I just joined the freaking science club for her! She thinks I did it for the extra credit, but I didn’t. I would have done the tutoring and begged to retake my final or something. It was all for her. What was wrong with me?
    After school the next day—that first official day of the Avery Shaw Experiment—Avery survived a girls-only trip to the mall with Pamela and Chloe and