The F Factor by Diane Gonzales Bertrand Page B

concentrated on the assignments, he would find a way around the senior blockheads in the class. “Let’s go over to Mr. Seneca’s room early. We can talk about our homework there.”
    â€œMaybe we could read what we wrote out loud to each other.”
    â€œGood idea.” Javier turned to shut his locker door and quickly snapped the lock.
    â€œIs that a new lock?” Andy grinned widely as he walked up. “Javier, can you give me the combination in case I need to borrow something?”
    â€œYesterday I stood here twenty minutes trying to get the stupid lock open, thanks to you.” Javier only pretended to be mad. The lock switch he had made yesterday would be sweet revenge, especially if it led to tardy slips and a face-off with Mr. Q. “My combination is off limits to you … forever!”
    Andy laughed off Javier’s words and rapidly thumped Pat on the shoulder. “Hey, Berlanga, how’s your hot-looking sister? Did she ask about me?” He turned his back on Pat and said to Javier, “I wrote a great essay for English class. How you, me, and Ignacio are great friends, been friends since kindergarten. How we like the same movies, put the same stuff on our hot dogs, stuff like that.”
    â€œThird grade crap,” Pat said, just loud enough for them to hear. He slammed his locker door and hung his lock into place. “You think Maloney wants to read that?”
    Andy spun around. “If you ain’t talking about your sister, keep it to yourself!”
    When Pat’s upper lip lifted in a snarl, Javier jumped quickly between them. He couldn’t believe how quickly Pat changed moods. He made eye contact with his best friend and spoke forcefully. “Andy, lay off.” He used his shoulder to move Pat aside. “Come on, Pat. We need to go over our homework before class.” He called back, “See you in second period, Andy!” then yanked on Pat’s shirt sleeve until the guy followed.
    â€œAndy was just kidding around,” Javier said as they walked toward the side doors. “He’s pretty harmless.”
    â€œAndy’s just like the rest of them, talking about my sister. Like she’d pay attention to a band geek,” Pat replied, a rumbling of anger between his words.
    â€œShe probably likes the Dylan and Ram types, huh?”
    Pat glowered at Javier. “What’s it to you?”
    â€œI’m making conversation, Pat. Untie the knot in your underwear, okay?” Javier had made his own scowl. “And stop acting so defensive about your sister. If Feliz is anything like
my
sisters, she doesn’t need you acting like her guard dog.”
    Pat inhaled and exhaled slowly as they walked outside into the humid, sticky morning. “I hate this weather. I should have written an announcement declaring school cancelled until October fifteenth.”
    â€œWish I had thought of that.” Javier sighed, feeling the sweat rise under his collar. “The announcements I wrote sound so lame—ugh! I need to stop using that word! Could I act more stupid around Mr. Seneca?”
    Pat stopped and grabbed Javier’s arm. “Wait! There’s our answer.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWe sit back and wait for those seniors to act stupid, say the wrong thing. It’ll happen, trust me. Dylan, Ram and the others think with their shoulder pads.” Pat’s eyebrows wrinkled together. “I played football last year. Got hurt in the first scrimmage, and I was done.” He lowered his eyes to the sidewalk. “All that stuff about teamwork they shove down your throats? It means nothing when you get hurt.” He snapped his fingers. “Like that, you’re outside the circle, labeled a quitter for life.”
    The bitterness in Pat’s voice kept Javier silent. Some upperclassmen were jerks, true, but Javier figured it was just because they were on top of the food chain. The athletes in