Brown Boy Nowhere by Lim Sheeryl

Author:Lim, Sheeryl
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyscape
Published: 2021-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

17

There’s definitely a shift in Larry. A group of cheerleaders jumps out of his way as we walk to our usual lunch table. To our surprise, there are already three people sitting there: Aiden, Stella, and the mean kid from the stairs.

Kirsten blinks. “Uh, can we help you?”

Aiden slides off his fedora, opening and closing his mouth. He visibly swallows but doesn’t say a word.

I glance at Larry, who shakes his head in wonder.

“Don’t worry, Aiden. I got this,” a vaguely familiar voice cuts in.

The boy from the stairs slaps a magazine against his palm. My eyes zero in on the familiar cover with the bent corner.

“Wait a minute. That’s my skate magazine!” I blurt out in surprise. “I haven’t seen that one in weeks. Ever since the first day of school and . . .”

“And you bumped into me?” The boy wiggles my magazine in the air. “It got mixed in with my things.”

“Oh . . .” I eye the Ichabod Crane–looking boy suspiciously and take a seat. Larry and Kirsten do the same.

The boy cocks an eyebrow. “Name’s Wyatt.”

“Angelo.” On instinct I extend my hand, but he merely looks down at it and sniffs. I drop my hand and frown. “What’s up?”

“We saw what Larry did with Grayson this morning. It’s about time someone stood up to that asshole.”

“Everyone saw what Larry did with Grayson,” Kirsten interrupts with pride. She whacks her arm against Larry’s chest. He grunts, nearly falling off his chair. “Our friend here is a star.”

“Sure, if you want to see it that way.” Wyatt’s narrow nostrils flare as he looks back at me. “But I’m sure your ‘celebrity’ friend”—that makes Larry chuckle—“wouldn’t have had the guts to do all that without you by his side.”

I flinch, waiting for Larry to react, but he just shrugs in agreement. “What’s your point?” I say.

Wyatt gestures to him and Aiden. “We need your help.”

“Doing what?”

“Taking down the football team,” he answers.

I nearly choke on my own spit. “I—I’m sorry?”

“Let me explain.” Stella speaks up, sounding somewhat determined but looking incredibly shy. Now, I’m sure Stella’s really smart, and running the student council takes guts, but I see how Maddie’s able to walk all over her. There’s no mistaking Stella’s insecurity. You can sense it from miles away. “What my brother here was trying to say is—”

“Hold on a minute.” I slide my gaze between her and Wyatt. “Brother? You’re related?”

“Are you saying we don’t look alike?” Wyatt glances at his sister and cracks a grin when she rolls her eyes.

I take in Stella’s beautiful mocha complexion and Wyatt’s almost porcelain face. “I . . . uh . . .”

“Stepbrother,” Stella clarifies.

“Oh,” I say again, feeling dumb.

“Anyway, what Wyatt was trying to say is that we want to take the football team down a notch. And the cheerleaders.” She glances at Kirsten, whose expression never changes.

“I still don’t know what that means,” I admit.

Stella nods empathetically. “I wouldn’t expect someone new to understand. But let me break it down for you.

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