Read Online The Big Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo - Free Book Online Page B

at him,” she said, her mouth full of tuna sandwich.
    â€œHe walked right past you.”
    â€œI didn’t notice. I was a little busy at the time.”
    â€œBusy yelling at Nikki.”
    â€œThat’s right. What of it? She took my sister out for no reason, you know. Nikki deserved what she got.”
    The smell of tuna was turning my stomach. “Your ‘innocent’ sister was bullying sixth-grade girls for their lunch money.”
    â€œWhat the hell do you know? Scram. Unless you want to give the kid a medal, I didn’t see nothin’.”
    I approached a bunch of other kids that I recognized from the scene of the crime, but like an English teacher in a room full of cheaters, I kept getting the same story.Nobody saw anything. All of them had friends or relatives that Nikki had taken out; none of them wanted to help bring down the kid who got her. I was about to give up when the bell rang, taking the decision out of my hands. I packed up my half-eaten lunch, grabbed my books, and headed for Algebra.
    As I was walking, a kid caught up to me and kept pace. His name was Steven Beckett. I knew him from class. He looked like he had something on his mind.
    â€œHey, Matt.”
    â€œSteve.”
    â€œYou got a minute?”
    â€œMaybe. Class is starting in five.”
    â€œI know. I sit two rows behind you.”
    â€œRight. Can you talk while we walk?”
    â€œYeah,” he said, then stopped walking. His mind and his mouth seemed to be on different tracks. I stopped, too. It seemed important.
    â€œWhat’s going on, Steve?”
    â€œI saw who did Nikki.”
    Before I could say anything, he spoke again.
    â€œWell, I didn’t see him. I heard him. As he passed by.”
    â€œWhat did you hear?”
    He paused. “Nikki took out my brother, you know,” he said. His shoulders sagged.
    â€œYeah, I know.”
    Steven’s brother Jeff was scum. There was no way to sugarcoat it. He was one of those bullies who had a hard time believing Vinny could put him out of business. Vinny let him know that he could. Jeff pushed; Vinny and Nikki pushed back harder.
    â€œHe had it coming,” Steve said. “He was no good.”
    â€œI know that, too.”
    â€œHe used to beat on me. A lot. He even had a nickname for me: Sissy Boy. He called me that all the time, even at school.” A single tear rolled down his cheek. “Do you know what it’s like, to be humiliated every day and not be able to do anything about it?” he asked. I didn’t answer. I had no idea.
    â€œAt first, after Nikki took him out, I wanted to thank her, give her a hug, not that I could get close to her. She had done to Jeff what I had always dreamed of doing.”
    I nodded. This had been on his mind for a long time.
    â€œJeff was like a different person afterward: quiet, watchful, nervous. He wouldn’t speak unless spoken to. He jumped at every little sound. It was like living with afrightened animal. As much as I didn’t like him before, I liked him even less after. And things didn’t change when he got to high school. If anything, they got worse.”
    â€œIf you’re withholding info in service to your brother,” I said, “just realize he would never do the same for you. He doesn’t deserve your pity.”
    â€œYou think I don’t know that?” he cried out. “But you don’t see him every day, the way he looks … the way he acts.” He shuddered. “I don’t know if I can tell you what I know and look at my brother every day … knowing that I helped get justice for Nikki after what she did to him.”
    The bell rang. He tried to look at me, but closed his eyes instead. He knew he’d be ashamed of either decision he made.
    â€œI heard a voice,” he said. “Small, high-pitched, and weasely.”
    â€œFemale?”
    â€œNo, male. Definitely. I could’ve imitated it for you