Swagger by Carl Deuker

Author:Carl Deuker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

10

IN EVERY CLASS AT HARDING High, I had a couple of people I talked to. I joked with Gokul every time I saw him. Still, I wasn’t connected with anyone but Levi. The other kids had their groups set; they didn’t need or want any new friends. I was just a face.

I didn’t expect to get invited to a New Year’s Eve party, but I did get an invitation. It wasn’t for a party, though—Levi asked me if I wanted to go backpacking up on Mount Rainier on New Year’s Eve. “It’s Coach Hartwell’s idea. We’ll hike a few miles, spend the night up there, and then hike back the next day. It’ll be great—just the mountain, the stars, the snow, and us.”

Levi seemed to vibrate at the thought. For him, a hike like that would be a religious experience, but to me it just sounded cold. I’d never backpacked in the snow in my life, and my California coat was barely warm enough for Seattle’s winter. I’d definitely need something warmer for Mount Rainier.

“What about storms?” I asked.

“The forecast is good, but if it changes we won’t go. Mountains have no mercy.”

“Let me think about it.”

Levi looked disappointed, but then his face cheered up. “Is it equipment? Because I’ve got extra clothes and an extra winter sleeping bag. I’ll be glad to lend them to you.”

“No, it’s not that, or not entirely that, though I would need to borrow stuff. I have to check with my dad first. He’s been having me do some insulation work. He might want me to finish before school starts up again.” That little lie gave me some breathing space—Levi would always finish work for his father before he did anything with me.

The more I thought about the camping trip, the less I liked it. Backpacking on a warm day in the summer had been fine, but trudging in the freezing cold through the snow sounded miserable. Besides, Levi and Hartwell were far more at home in the mountains than I was, so I’d slow them down. I hate being bad at anything athletic.

I called Levi at his home that night. “My dad wants me to finish in the basement,” I said, which was partly true. “When you come back, you’ll have to show me your drawings.” Then an idea came to me. “Why don’t you ask DeShawn or Brindle or one of the other guys?”

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.