Infinity Read Free

He always mispronounced Nick’s last name. He said it “Go-chay” instead of the correct “Go-shay.” The difference being “Go-chay” traditional y had an “h” in it after the “t” and, as Nick’s mom so often said, they were too poor for any more letters.
    Not to mention, one of his mom’s relatives, Fernando Upton Gautier, had founded the smal town in Mississippi that shared his name and both were pronounced “Go-shay.” “Your mom made you late again?”
    “You know it.” Nick dug his money out of his pocket and quickly paid before taking a seat. Winded and sweating, he leaned back and let out a deep breath, grateful he’d made it in time.
    Unfortunately, he was stil sweating when he reached school. The beauty of living in a city where even in October it could hit ninety by eight a.m. Man, he was getting tired of this late heat wave they’d been suffering.
    Suck it up, Nick. You’re not late today. It’s all good.
    Yeah, let the mocking commence.
    He smoothed his hair down, wiped the sweat off his brow, and draped his backpack over his left shoulder.
    Holding his head high in spite of the snickers and comments about his shirt and sweaty condition, he walked across the yard and through the doors like he owned them. It was the best he could do.
    “Ew! Gross! He’s dripping wet. Is he too poor to own a towel? Don’t poor people ever bathe?”
    “Looks like he went fishing in the Pontchartrain and came up with that hideous shirt instead of a real fish.”
    “That’s ’cause he couldn’t miss it. I’l bet it even glows in the dark.”
    “I bet there’s a naked hobo somewhere wanting to know who stole his clothes while he was sleeping on a bench. Gah, how long has he owned those shoes, anyway? I think my dad wore a pair like that in the eighties.” Nick turned a deaf ear to them and focused on the fact that they real y were stupid. None of them would be here if their parents weren’t loaded. He was the scholarship kid. They probably couldn’t have even spel ed their names right on the exam he’d aced to get in.
    That was what mattered most. He’d much rather have brains than money.
    Though right now, a rocket launcher might be nice too. He just couldn’t say that out loud without the faculty cal ing the cops on his having “inappropriate” thoughts.
    His bravado lasted until he reached his locker, where Stone and crew were loitering.
    Great, just great. Couldn’t they pick someone else to stalk?
    Stone Blakemoor was the kind of creep who gave jocks a bad name. They weren’t al like that and he knew it. Nick had several friends who were on the footbal team—starters, no less, not seat warmers like Stone.
    Stil , when you thought of an arrogant jock-rock, Stone was aptly named. It was definitely a self-fulfil ing moniker his parents had labeled him with. Guess his mom had known while he was in the womb that she was going to birth a flaming moron.
    Stone snorted as Nick stopped beside his group to open his locker. “Hey, Gautier? I saw your mom naked last night
    —shaking her butt in my dad’s face so that he’d put a dol ar in her G-string. He got a good feel of her too. Said she’s got a nice set of—”
    Before he could think better of it, Nick swiped him upside the head with his backpack as hard as he could.
    And then it was on like Donkey Kong.
    “Fight!” someone shouted while Nick wrapped Stone in a headlock and pounded him.
    A crowd gathered round, chanting, “Fight, fight, fight.” Somehow Stone escaped his hold and hit him so hard in the sternum it took the breath from him. Dang, he was a lot stronger than he looked. He hit like a jackhammer.
    Furious, Nick started for him, only to find one of the teachers suddenly between them.
    Ms. Pantal .
    The sight of her petite form calmed him instantly. He wasn’t about to hit an innocent person, especial y not a woman. She narrowed her eyes at him and pointed down the hal . “To the office, Gautier. Now!”
    Cursing under