C a t h e r i n e A u s t e n
162
Advance Reading Copy
We heave Xavier to his feet and steer him toward the
door. He nods and mutters, “There will be consequences.”
I’m sure it’s random but the timing scares me.
Ö
Xavier gets worse as the day goes on. Half the tenth graders
are in one class now, over a hundred students, sitting at tiny
desks shoved close together. It unsettles Xavier when students
squeeze by him. He likes everyone in their place. He trem-
bles and buzzes over each absence, staring at the vacant chairs
in alarm. A few kids who were on psychotropics are off sick
now. I haven’t seen Tyler Wilkins since Halloween. “Maybe
he turned into a butterfly,” Dallas says.
Werewolf fills in for Mr. Reese in history. I hate him more
than ever now that I can’t express it. He doesn’t seem to like
us any better either. He tells us Montgomery is in the hospital
having convulsions. “Shame,” he says like he scuffed his shoe.
“He was one of the better students.”
Xavier gets up and sits in Montgomery’s chair. Werewolf
tells him to go back to his own seat. “There’s another poten-
tial here,” Xavier says.
Werewolf snorts. “Just get back in your seat.”
Xavier docks his RIG into the desk port as if he didn’t hear.
“Back in your seat!” Werewolf booms.
Xavier holds his head and moans.
Werewolf gets off his hairy ass. He leans in front of
Xavier, lays both palms on the desk, and repeats, “Back. In.
Your. Seat.” He spits when he talks. It glistens on Xavier’s
face. I feel my blood start to boil.
