space in the gym storage room?” Charlie said, hoping to lure Dalton away.
“As you wish,” Dalton said cheerfully. “Now where did I put those keys?” He tapped his pockets and pulled out a key chain with several keys attached. “Gotcha.”
“Awesome! Dalton is the Key Man.” Scott and Nick had come from behind the school. Scott slapped Dalton on the back and Nick flashed a thumbs-up.
“Um … yes. Just helping Charlie and Pudge with movie night — it’s a fundraising initiative and …”
“I know what’s going on, Key Man,” Scott said. “Are you gonna help us? I can’t wait to get up on that roof.”
“The roof … ? Why the … What do you mean?”
Charlie felt sick. This was done. Dalton would be furious and they’d have to send the supplies back. And since he’d messed up, he should probably pay his friends back. But he didn’t have enough money. All because Dalton was so ridiculously nice!
“Dalton, I owe you an apology,” he began slowly.
“You probably owe me one too,” Scott said, but his voice trailed off when he saw Charlie was serious.
“Whatever for?” Dalton said.
“This is a bit awkward,” Charlie began. “The truth is we ordered roofing supplies to stop the leaking, so we could buy more time to fundraise. We needed a way to get in … and I didn’t want to get you involved …”
Dalton rubbed his chin, holding his elbow with hisother hand. He did not respond for a time, and then he said, “I confess I did not expect this. I can see that you wanted to protect me from getting in trouble for performing repairs on the roof without permission — I assume you do not have permission?”
Charlie and Pudge shook their heads.
“We could get suspended for this,” Dalton said pointedly.
Zachary and Matt arrived on their long boards.
Zachary greeted them with a “Yo, dudes,” and kicked the board to his hand.
Matt waved his phone in the air. “My bud called me. The driver will be here soon. He’s running a bit late.”
“At least that was true,” Dalton said.
Charlie froze, uncertain if he was serious or joking.
“Hi, Dalton,” Zachary said. “I didn’t know you were going to help us.”
“I didn’t either,” Dalton stated.
Zachary and Matt looked at Charlie for an explanation.
“I’m really sorry,” Charlie said. “I should’ve trusted you. I … um … it was wrong. We ordered plastic sheets to lay on the roof to keep the rain away, and it’s paid for … and it’s coming soon.”
“And the six of you are doing the work?” Dalton said.
“With Julia, Rebecca and Alexandra,” Pudge said.
As if on cue, the girls came into view. Dalton spun the key chain around his finger. “I appreciate we don’t know each other very well …” he said. He stopped spinning the keys. “Desperate times do call for desperate measures.”
“I told you they don’t call for subs,” Nick said toScott.
A large flatbed truck pulled into the parking lot and, with a high-pitched squeal of the breaks and a gush of air, came to a stop.
The driver hopped out of the cab. He held some papers. The girls slipped in behind Charlie and Pudge.
“How’s it going?” Julia whispered to Charlie.
“So-so,” he answered.
“I have an order for delivery to this address,” he said, holding the paper towards Scott.
“That’s right, sir,” Scott said.
The driver looked around. “Where’s the contractor who called it in? I didn’t know this was for a school.”
“We’re waiting for him too,” Charlie said.
The driver’s face clouded. “I need a signature for the materials, and I have about ten more deliveries, and I’m already late.”
Scott pushed forward. “I’m happy to sign, Mr. Driver,” he said.
“I meant an adult’s signature.”
Scott held up his phone. “We’re working for the contractor. It’s part of a new school program to teach young kids construction skills. We’re all very excited to get going.” He beamed a
“As you wish,” Dalton said cheerfully. “Now where did I put those keys?” He tapped his pockets and pulled out a key chain with several keys attached. “Gotcha.”
“Awesome! Dalton is the Key Man.” Scott and Nick had come from behind the school. Scott slapped Dalton on the back and Nick flashed a thumbs-up.
“Um … yes. Just helping Charlie and Pudge with movie night — it’s a fundraising initiative and …”
“I know what’s going on, Key Man,” Scott said. “Are you gonna help us? I can’t wait to get up on that roof.”
“The roof … ? Why the … What do you mean?”
Charlie felt sick. This was done. Dalton would be furious and they’d have to send the supplies back. And since he’d messed up, he should probably pay his friends back. But he didn’t have enough money. All because Dalton was so ridiculously nice!
“Dalton, I owe you an apology,” he began slowly.
“You probably owe me one too,” Scott said, but his voice trailed off when he saw Charlie was serious.
“Whatever for?” Dalton said.
“This is a bit awkward,” Charlie began. “The truth is we ordered roofing supplies to stop the leaking, so we could buy more time to fundraise. We needed a way to get in … and I didn’t want to get you involved …”
Dalton rubbed his chin, holding his elbow with hisother hand. He did not respond for a time, and then he said, “I confess I did not expect this. I can see that you wanted to protect me from getting in trouble for performing repairs on the roof without permission — I assume you do not have permission?”
Charlie and Pudge shook their heads.
“We could get suspended for this,” Dalton said pointedly.
Zachary and Matt arrived on their long boards.
Zachary greeted them with a “Yo, dudes,” and kicked the board to his hand.
Matt waved his phone in the air. “My bud called me. The driver will be here soon. He’s running a bit late.”
“At least that was true,” Dalton said.
Charlie froze, uncertain if he was serious or joking.
“Hi, Dalton,” Zachary said. “I didn’t know you were going to help us.”
“I didn’t either,” Dalton stated.
Zachary and Matt looked at Charlie for an explanation.
“I’m really sorry,” Charlie said. “I should’ve trusted you. I … um … it was wrong. We ordered plastic sheets to lay on the roof to keep the rain away, and it’s paid for … and it’s coming soon.”
“And the six of you are doing the work?” Dalton said.
“With Julia, Rebecca and Alexandra,” Pudge said.
As if on cue, the girls came into view. Dalton spun the key chain around his finger. “I appreciate we don’t know each other very well …” he said. He stopped spinning the keys. “Desperate times do call for desperate measures.”
“I told you they don’t call for subs,” Nick said toScott.
A large flatbed truck pulled into the parking lot and, with a high-pitched squeal of the breaks and a gush of air, came to a stop.
The driver hopped out of the cab. He held some papers. The girls slipped in behind Charlie and Pudge.
“How’s it going?” Julia whispered to Charlie.
“So-so,” he answered.
“I have an order for delivery to this address,” he said, holding the paper towards Scott.
“That’s right, sir,” Scott said.
The driver looked around. “Where’s the contractor who called it in? I didn’t know this was for a school.”
“We’re waiting for him too,” Charlie said.
The driver’s face clouded. “I need a signature for the materials, and I have about ten more deliveries, and I’m already late.”
Scott pushed forward. “I’m happy to sign, Mr. Driver,” he said.
“I meant an adult’s signature.”
Scott held up his phone. “We’re working for the contractor. It’s part of a new school program to teach young kids construction skills. We’re all very excited to get going.” He beamed a
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