Still Not Dead by Lance Rubin

Author:Lance Rubin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2017-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

Felix’s absence might not be a total deal breaker, but it definitely means there’s going to be more heavy lifting for Paolo and me. I’m tempted to walk right out the door after him. But then my mom’s going to think I’m a coward or that I don’t believe in her movement, and it’s going to be more trouble than it’s worth.

“Should we follow Felix outside?” Paolo asks. “Maybe he can suggest an alternate plan for us?”

Screw Felix. He should have listened when I said I should leave the room to spit in the glass. Paolo and I can handle this alone. “No, I already have an alternate plan.”

“Really?”

“Sorta.” Another waiter walks by with a bunch of waters, and I grab one. I take a swig from my glass, adding less saliva this time so you can’t see any bubbles. I do a quick scan of the room, which has now entirely filled up with people. Haley is easy to spot, though, surrounded as she is by her huge entourage. I start walking in her direction, keeping my head down to avoid being spotted by my aunt and uncle.

“Wait, so what exactly is the plan?” Paolo asks as he tries his best to keep up with me.

“I’m gonna give her the water myself.”

“That’s the whole plan?”

“Pretty much,” I say.

The string orchestra has been playing very dramatic downer music all night, and it echoes in my ears as we approach Haley’s table. I can make this work. I know I can.

Paolo and I plant ourselves in front of Haley and her crew. “But what do I care if she didn’t show up?” Haley is saying. “She’s a total butter face! After I die, everyone let her know I said that.”

“Last chance to change your mind,” Paolo says quietly.

“Um, hey, Haley,” I say.

Her head snaps toward us, her nostrils flaring, like, Who dares interrupt me at my own funeral? “Oh, it’s just you two,” she says, her face relaxing into an only slightly less scary expression. “Everyone, this is Anne Frank and Baby Powder.”

It takes me a few seconds to understand where she’s gotten these strange nicknames for us.

“Hey,” I say.

“What’s up,” Paolo says.

Every member of her crew is watching us with delighted anticipation, like they can’t wait to see what cruel thing Haley will say to us next.

“So, what the hell do you want?” Haley asks.

“Oh, nothing, really. I brought you this water,” I say, holding out the glass.

Haley scrunches her face up and looks at her friends incredulously. “You brought me a water? Like that’s some big gift or something? What, are you trying to poison me?”

She’s surprisingly sharp. I can tell Paolo’s freaking out.

“Ha, yeah,” I say. “I’m trying to poison you.”

“Ooh, scandalous.” Haley likes that I’ve played along, even though I’m really just telling her the truth. “What kind of poison?”

“Cyanide, mainly,” I say. “A pinch of arsenic.”

“Sexy,” she says, followed by a little feline growl and chomp. Her friends laugh. It’s all extraordinarily mortifying. “Give it to me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.