Living Rough by Cristy Watson

time.
    â€œIt seems you have two options. A family named Oleksienko offered to have you stay with them. They suggested you could help their daughter learn to speak English. Also, the Corbin family would be willing to take you in. Apparently they have a son you know. Ben?”
    Wow. Two options. They both would be great. Especially after breakfast this morning. I realized now how hungry I’ve been for the last six months. I looked at my dad. He nodded his head.
    â€œSon, I think this can work. Mrs. Munro has suggested some programs to help me find work. I can stay at the Salvation Army shelter until I get on my feet again. Then you and I can find a low-cost place to stay. Heck, there are some nice campgrounds on Eighth Avenue. Mrs. Munro was telling me the bus goes there every morning to pick up students for school. Your school! I qualify for financial assistance. That will help us get organized sooner.”
    â€œI have an old tent trailer,” added Mr. Brock. “You are more than welcome to borrow it.”
    Dry clothes. No more musty smell. Food in my belly. A real bed to sleep on.
    Well, at least for a while. Then my dad and I could work our way back. It wouldn’t be like it was when my mom was alive, but we would be a family.
    The two of us.
    And I secretly hoped Inna would take a loooong time to learn English.

Cristy Watson is a teacher who loves reading and writing poetry and YA novels. Living Rough is her second entry in the Orca Currents series. Cristy lives in White Rock, British Columbia.

o rca currents
    The following is an excerpt from another exciting Orca Currents novel, Benched by Cristy Watson.

    9781554694082 $9.95 pb
    When Cody and his friends accept a challenge from a local gang to steal a park bench, their main concern is keeping themselves on the gang’s good side. Cody learns that the stolen bench had been dedicated to the father of the English teacher who sponsors the school newspaper—the paper that Cody has just started writing for—and he’s worried about the consequences. As the gang applies pressure for more from Cody and his friends, he realizes they’ve crossed a line, and now he has to figure out how to make it right.

Chapter One
    â€œAbout time, Cody.” Taz had the volume cranked on his iPod. I could hear Snow Patrol screaming out their latest tune. “Where were you?”
    â€œYou’re not going to believe who I was just talking to,” I said as I struggled to catch my breath.
    Bowman scanned the parking lot outside our high school. “Cathy? That grade eleven you’re into?”
    â€œYou mean Cassie ?” I asked. I don’t know why Bowman had trouble with her name. “I can handle Cassie. This was… well, strange.”
    By then Taz was already halfway to the park, our shortcut home. He was almost six feet tall and all legs. Bowman and I had to jog to keep up with him.
    â€œI’m listening,” Bowman said.
    I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was following us, and then I lowered my voice. “So I’m leaving the school, and there’s this dude leaning against the bike rack, waiting for me. He looked familiar, like maybe he used to hang with Dylan.”
    A lump the size of a grapefruit formed in my throat.
    Taz interrupted, “You mean someone from Beaker’s gang?”
    â€œYeah, but I don’t know his name,” I said.
    â€œWhat did he want?” asked Bowman. His voice sounded tight.
    I hesitated before answering. Should I tell them?
    Maybe I could ignore the whole thing, like it didn’t happen. But knowing Taz, he wouldn’t let this go. Not until he had all the details.
    As we neared the west pond, I saw two guys walking our way. I couldn’t tell if they were from Beaker’s gang. If they were, I wasn’t ready to deal with them. Not yet. Not until we decided what to do.
    â€œSo, what’s up with the dude?” Bowman asked as he bent down