Read Online The Rule of Won by Stefan Petrucha - Free Book Online Page B

meeting, and I had a feeling that if I didn’t do anything stupid, she’d say yes. So I didn’t do anything stupid. Besides, the Hurricanes were a great team and our guys didn’t even have a gym. If we could pull that off, what question could there be in
anyone’s
mind?
    When Ethan was finished and everyone rose from their seats, I turned to Vicky, nonchalant as could be, and said, “Coffee?”
    â€œGreat!” she said, smiling. “Mind if we ask Ethan to come along?”
    I felt like Joey’s newspaper had whacked me again.
    â€œHim? Mr. Skinson?”
    â€œYeah, wouldn’t it be nice? He runs the club and everything, but no one hangs out with him. He could use some friends.”
    â€œUh . . .”
    Before I could make up some reason to say no, she called out, “Ethan!”
    And of course he turned around, Ethan being his name and all.
    â€œI’m sure he’s busy,” I mumbled to her, but she ignored me.
    â€œCaleb and I are going to Java Jive for some coffee. Want to come with?”
    I conjured my spork and thought, “Make him say no, make him say no.”
    But I guess I wasn’t fast enough, because the smile on his face widened.
    â€œThanks,” he said. “That’d be great.”
    Perfect. A dream come true. Sharing my first date with my girl in ages with the school’s brand-new alpha male.
    I noticed Erica snickering as she left the trailer, and made a mental note to severely mock her newfound joy the next time I saw her.
    The three of us, Ethan, Vicky, and yours truly, headed out across the beautiful asphalt parking lot together, me trying to figure out who the third wheel was, Ethan or me. He and I being guys, we didn’t have much to say to each other, but Vicky walked between us, chattering like crazy.
    â€œI just figured that we all know you, but we don’t really know you, you know?” she said.
    Ethan nodded like he understood, which put him one up on me.
    â€œMaybe next time we should ask the rest of the Crave along,” he said.
    â€œYes,” I said, hoping I didn’t sound too stiff. “A crowd would be much better.”
    I casually put my arm around Vicky’s waist, but by the time we reached the street, she had managed to quietly shake it free.
    As we approached the storefront with the hand-painted sign, Ethan asked, “So how is this place?”
    â€œIt’s called Java Jive for a reason,” Vicky said. “Because the java is, well . . . jive, as in bogus.”
    â€œIt’s not that bad,” I said, feeling kind of offended for the poor little store. But Ethan’s smile vanished when he saw the vending machine that dished out the coffee. I think he’d pictured more a Starbucks kind of deal.
    â€œCrappacino,” he said.
    Any luck and maybe he’d hate it so much, he’d leave. Trying to be friendly, I nudged him. “It tastes better if you pour half off and put in lots of sugar. Well, at least then it tastes like sugar.”
    We got our lousy drinks, mopped up a table with some napkins, and sat. Vicky nudged me a few times to get me to say something, but really, I didn’t have anything I wanted to say. This left her to get the conversation rolling, which I have to admit, she did pretty well.
    â€œI know Caleb and I were . . . pretty happy when we heard about the grant, but what did it feel like when you found out? I mean, you began the Crave.”
    Ethan smiled. He wasn’t looking at me or Vicky but at some invisible point off in the distance. “What did it feel like? It felt like being the Eagle of Hell.”
    â€œOkay,” I said. “And this means?”
    He tightened his face and then relaxed it. “Near the academy I used to attend there was this old amusement park, Happy Planet.”
    â€œI remember that place,” Vicky said. “They shut it down when a little girl died on one of the rides. She unbuckled