Read Online Who I'm Not by Ted Staunton - Free Book Online

there and think about Meg. The walls were thin too. Once, late, I heard Roy and Shan going at it. It was too much information. After Harley and Darla had split up, if he wanted to bring someone back he would give me money for a movie, or I’d wander a mall. I was older by then. Apart from the fact that we went around robbing people blind, the wildest thing Harley would ever do was have a beer or two watching the ball game, or smoke a little weed sometimes. He didn’t think I knew what it was at first, but I’d been with more that one secret smoker in the Bad Time. The point was, there was space.
    Anyway, when I opened the door there was a box sitting in the hall, with a paper attached to it that said Danny . I guessed Carleen had stopped by with some of Danny’s old stuff. There were little trophies for soccer, a Darth Vader poster, a couple of Garfield books, some lame CDs, bad drawings of motorcycles and dragons, a few photos of him and some other kids making gang signs with their hands, and one of him in his hat and shades, giving both fingers to the camera. It was crap, stupid. I left the box where it was and wondered how long I could go on doing this. I’d been Danny almost three weeks, and for now I was stuck being him. I couldn’t take off until I had some cash and a plan to at least get back to the States. And even if I had those things right now, I couldn’t make Danny disappear again so soon. The cops would be all over it. I’d probably barely get out of town. My best bet was still to hang in until his birthday.
    And that wasn’t forever, was it? My luck was running. Do before you get done. I made a sandwich, then did some things around the house. First, I took five dollars out of Matt’s money stash in his Lego bucket. While I was at it, I checked the cash in Shan’s boot too. There was ten dollars more—even better. I took five dollars in coins. There were so many, it would be easy for Shan to think she’d miscounted. Next, I went on the computer and searched a map of Port Hope. If I was going to get out of here, it was time to get a better idea where I was. Matt had said the place was on a lake. Well, he was right—it was on Lake Ontario, a Great Lake. Danny would have called it “a big sucker.” The beauty part, though, was what was on the other side: the USA. I was a boat ride from freedom.
    That made me feel so good that I took Matt’s bike and rode it down to the harbor. It was a really big lake—you couldn’t see across to the other side. But there were boats there, and they looked easy to get at, and on the map the lake looked a lot longer than it was wide. Maybe the States was closer than I thought. I wondered if I could steal a boat when the time came, and how hard it was to run one. I’d never been on a boat.
    I turned around and rode back to Open Book. I got upstairs just as Gillian was getting ready to leave. She didn’t frown this time. “I’ve got something for you,” I said.
    â€œWhat?”
    I pulled out the money I’d scored and lifted the five. “Take it back if you want.”
    Now she did frown.
    â€œIt’s different,” I said. “I made this cutting the lawn.”
    â€œThen give it back yourself,” she said.
    â€œOkay, I will. If you let me buy us coffee tomorrow. Or tea or something.” She smiled a quick, tight smile and her face turned pink. She headed for the stairs. “You know I’ll pay it back,” I called. “See you tomorrow.” It was just like snowing sales ladies in Tucson, and it was worth it. As I looked out the window and watched Gillian unlock a bike from the rack where I’d stashed Matt’s, I saw Griffin, the old cop, getting into a silver Camry. Then the kid I’d jumped at school walked down the street with two other guys, maybe the ones that had been with him that day.
    I waited till they were gone, then went down and