A & L Do Summer by Jan Blazanin Page A

ways Laurel could go with that comment? Before she opens her mouth, I give her the “Don’t You Dare Say What You’re Thinking” look.
    A smile creeps across Kong’s face. “Except there is pigs, Buster. They’re right here in front of us.”
    Ferret snorts with laughter. It takes Buster a few beats longer to get the joke. Then he claps Kong on the back. “You’re right, buddy. But nobody’s interested in looking at their ugly faces.”
    I shift my American history text to my right hand. Maybe I couldn’t get all three of them, but I could shorten Ferret’s nose by a couple of inches before Buster flattened me.
    Laurel beats me to it. She pulls a can of pepper spray from her purse and aims it at Buster. “You butt crusts have brightened our morning, but now it’s time for you to go. Walk away by the time I count three, or you’ll be spitting pepper for a week.”
    Buster puffs out his chest. “Come on, guys. Let’s get outta here before people start thinking we’re with these bitches.”
    Bile rises in the back of my throat. Cissy Russell told half the junior girls that Buster tried to rape her at a party last winter. Being “with him” is close to the worst thing I can imagine.
    Buster spews a gob of tobacco at our feet. Laurel and I jump apart, but brown drops land on our bare toes. My stomach tries to turn itself inside out, and I’m grateful I didn’t have time for breakfast.
    Buster swaggers away with Kong knuckle-dragging in his wake. Ferret lags behind. Buster is their evil leader, Ferret’s the oversize mouth, and Kong is the brainless muscle. Put them together and you’ve got a swaggering, foul-mouthed, bullying Buttferk.
    â€œThis isn’t the end of it.” Ferret raises his upper lip to show off his pointed little teeth. “You can’t mess us up like that and get away with it.”
    â€œOh, I’m pretty sure we can,” Laurel counters. “Your parents made a mess of you, and nothing happened to them.”
    I clear my throat. “Well, actually, something did happen to Ferret’s parents. They got saddled with him for the rest of their lives.”
    â€œExcellent, Aspen!” Laurel and I bump fists.
    Ferret’s so mad his eyes are crossing. “Laugh it up, tree scabs. But when my buds and I decide all the ways we’re going to get even, we’ll see who’s laughing.” He favors us with a parting snarl before he turns and hurries after Buster and Kong.
    I watch him go with a queasy feeling in my stomach. “So, do you really think Buttferk will be out for revenge?”
    â€œIf they are, I hope Ferret posts their plans on Facebook.” Laurel sends a puff of air into her bangs. “Being stalked is exactly the kind of drama we need to get us noticed.”
    â€œYeah, I’m hoping for that, too. When the police find our bloody corpses, they’ll just check your news feed and know exactly who to arrest.”
    Don’t ask me how the morning passes. I shuffle from class to class in a sleep-deprived haze. The absolute second I get home, I’m going to hit my bed and not move a muscle until tomorrow.
    Which makes this the worst possible day to have gym class.
    Normally I don’t mind gym, although I’m required to gripe about it like everyone else. We’re two weeks into an archery unit, which—in spite of my stringy arms—I don’t suck at. But a person in my semi-comatose condition should not be wielding anything that resembles a lethal weapon. Laurel and I hang at the end of the line of shooters, where we plan to stay until the period ends.
    Eyes closed, my face lifted to the warm sunshine, I’m wondering if it’s possible to sleep standing up. I scoot my feet apart for balance and let myself sway from side to side. I’m lying in a hammock by the ocean, letting the gentle salt breeze