The Bullet List (The Saving Bailey Trilogy, #1) Read Free Page A

morning. I’m going to take attendance now, no talking while I’m talking.” She rattles off the names, but when she comes to mine she draws it out in a defeated groan. “Baileyyy Sykesss.”
    I lift my battered hand into the air, making a show of how I could not care less that everyone is staring and whispering behind my back.
    “Yes, yes, you are all here,” she intones. “Let’s begin.”
    After checking to make certain that we have all done our homework and lecturing me for not doing mine, she rambles on about triangles and the Pythagorean Theorem.
    I am about to lay my head on the desk to get in my routine mid-morning nap when something lands in my hair. It is a piece of crumpled-up paper. I smooth it out to discover a note from Clad. He is siting two seats behind me. I lift my head up to read it. Scratched in red colored pencil the note reads:
    Bailey what happened to your face head? Where did that bruise come from? The bandages on your hands? Are you okay? Please tell me Miemah and her posse didn’t get ahold of you. I would die if I knew she did that because of my big stupid mouth. Okay, maybe I wouldn’t die. Maybe I would just wish that I could die. I’m really sorry about yesterday. Clad.
    I crumple it back up and shoot it flawlessly into the trashcan. I can hear Clad gasp from behind me. I twist my head around and observe his massive kiwi-green eyes glaze over.
    “Bailey, what are you doing? Trying to hold a conversation with the wall?” Latcher smirks.
    “No. I’m trying to stay awake through your lecture,” I snap back. “So far, it isn’t working.”
    Her mouth drops. “You got some nerve talking to me like that!” she squawks, jabbing a wrinkled leathery finger at me.
    “I was just being honest,” I say.
    “Well you can just take your ‘honesty’ and get out of my class, Ms. Sykes,” she commands.
    “Fine,” I say under my breath. I gather my things, and walk out.
    As soon as I get outside the door I stop and listen to what she might be saying about me to the class. Instead I hear Clad speak up, “Mrs. Latcher, you can’t keep throwing her out of class like that. We all know you hate her, but give her a break. She’s obviously been going through a lot lately.”
    Mrs. Latcher draws in a big breath before saying in a markedly defensive tone, “Clad, I don’t hate her. She needs to learn to have respect for her teachers. Discussion over.”
    “No. You need to learn how to respect your students. Discussion over!” Clad fires back. I am almost pushed over backwards by Clad as he comes stomping out the door.
    “Come on, let’s get away from here,” he says. He’s shaking with adrenaline. “I really can’t stand that damn lady and the way she treats you. Someone had to put her in her place.”
    I shake my head at him. “Can’t you just stay out of my business and leave me alone?”
    “No I don’t think I can,” he admits. “I’m like your only friend; it’s my job to be here for you.”
    “It’s not your job to do anything for me. And I do have other friends. For instance Alana,” I say.
    He chuckles. “Alana is not much of a friend. Plus, she’s very obnoxious.”
    “So are you!” I wisecrack.
    “You may not have many friends, but aside from Miemah and her followers, you are the most popular girl in the school,” Clad says.
    “And what makes you think that?” I ask skeptically.
    “Don’t act like you don’t know.” He smiles in amusement. “You are unbelievably gorgeous and everyone is jealous of you for it,” he says in a matter-of-fact tone.
    “No, everyone just hates me,” I clarify for him.
    “Miemah only despises you because every day she wakes up praying that she could be blessed with just one ounce of the beauty you possess-” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Instead she grows uglier with every word of hatred she tosses your way.”
    “That’s touching really, but I don’t believe you,” I say slyly.
    “I can’t make you believe, I