We All Fall Down Read Free

brother works for
MTV?”
James asked, as people gasped and sat up in their seats.
    “He works in the control room,” she said. “He mixes videos, but he also gets to meet celebrities and go to parties and lots of stuff.”
    “Will you get to meet anybody famous?” a girl asked.
    “I don’t know … maybe. My brother says that there are always famous people around the place.”
    There was a murmur of conversation as people tried to imagine who she might meet. I didn’t want her to meet anybody. I already knew I was going to be competing with guys in grade ten and up so I definitely didn’t need a rock star in the mix. But she had the best placement, no question.
    “And Will, what will you be doing?” Mrs. Phelps asked.
    She caught me off guard. “Um … I’ll be going with my father … to his office.”
    “And what does your father do?”
    “He works for a trading company.” Boy, did that sound boring. “Like, an international trading company—money markets and stocks and all that stuff.” I hoped I sounded like I knew what I was talking about. “He’s one of the head guys,” I added, trying to make it sound at least a little bit interesting. “And his office is in Manhattan.”
    “That sounds like an interesting experience,” Mrs. Phelps said.
    “I guess so,” I said, sounding less positive than she did.
    “Now, since you’re going to be away tomorrow I’m going to give you a double reading assignment. I want all of chapters two, three and four read by Wednesday. All of you have a great day tomorrow. Who knows, it might be an experience that changes your entire life!”

CHAPTER
TWO
    I scraped the last bit of food off my plate and shoveled it into my mouth.
    “Would you like seconds?” my mother asked.
    “Thanks, but no thanks.”
    “Okay, but watching you wolf that down, I got the feeling that you really liked it.”
    “I did. I love your lasagna.”
    “Thank you. I like making things you enjoy.”
    I did like her cooking, but that wasn’t why I had eaten so quickly. I was in a rush to get to James’s place—we had a practice scheduled.
    “There’s lots more if you want another piece.”
    “Maybe later, for a bedtime snack. Besides, shouldn’t you save some for Dad?”
    “There’s plenty for him.”
    “I have to get going,” I said as I got up and took my dishes to the counter.
    “Where to?”
    “James’s.”
    “Could you help me clean up before you go?”
    “Sure, no problem.” I was in a rush, but it was faster to do it than argue about it.
    While my mother scrubbed the lasagna pan I loaded my stuff into the dishwasher and then headed back to get the rest of the things off the table. My father’s place was all set—dinner plate, side plate, glass, cutlery and napkin. All untouched.
    “Do you want me to leave the place for Dad, or put it away?”
    “I guess you can leave it.” She sounded tired.
    “When did he say he’d be home?” I asked.
    “He’ll be home at seven … unless he calls again.”
    In our house it was important to either be on time or call and say when you were going to be home. My mother was a fanatic about that.
    “Do you have any homework tonight?”
    “A few chapters to read for history. I’m going to bring my textbook with me and James and I will go over it tonight.”
    “Before or after you play music?”
    “What makes you think we’re going to play tonight?” I asked.
    “Aren’t you?”
    “Well, yeah.”
    “Just make sure you do your homework first, that’s all I’m asking,” she said.
    “There’s no rush. I have tomorrow night, too.”
    “Oh, that’s right, you’re spending the day with your father.”
    “Yeah.”
    She furrowed her brow. “You don’t sound very excited.”
    “Well … I guess it’s better than going to school.”
    “It should be very interesting. I know your father has been looking forward to it.”
    “He has?”
    “He’s been talking a lot about it,” she said.
    I shrugged. “I haven’t