"James McCann - Kith 1" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCann James)

whole football team! Want to come watch?тАЭ
He would, except Billy would be there. тАЬNaw, canтАЩt.тАЭ
тАЬWhy?тАЭ she whined, her disappointment lost in TrentтАЩs shame.
тАЬI-I gotta work.тАЭ Not until six, but he hoped she wouldnтАЩt remember.
тАЬI thought you didnтАЩt work till six.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt,тАЭ damn, think fast Trent, тАЬI have things to do ... besides, if I stayed late after
school...тАЭ
Together: тАЬ...my parents would kill me.тАЭ
Then Trent solo, тАЬI could phone and ask permission.тАЭ
тАЬRight. Anytime you ask permission for anything itтАЩs a guaranteed `no.`тАЭ
Actually, Trent counted on that in times such as this. тАЬWell, thereтАЩs the warning
buzzer. WeтАЩd better get to class.тАЭ
тАЬGood idea, but one last thing.тАЭ
тАЬWhat?тАЭ
тАЬYou need your sweats, not your History book.тАЭ
They laughed, and after grabbing his sweats and closing his locker he followed her to
the gym.



Gym was the one class Trent hated most. He had tried several times, unsuccessfully,
to get excused from it, but the principal felt that a good exercise regimen was necessary
for a healthy life. тАЬPhysical education builds confidence, stamina and self-respect.тАЭ As if
he knew, sitting all day behind his oak desk wolfing donuts into his ever-expanding
belly! But all Trent could do was nod and say, тАЬOkay.тАЭ
That was why every fifth school day he found himself amidst a cluster of larger boys
guarding one side of the gym against a cluster on the other side. The only rule: donтАЩt
leave your half. The first time Trent had played this psychoтАЩs-excuse-for-a-sport he
thought it might be fun, until the teacher started handing out volleyballs for everyone to
hurtle at each other.
That scar over his left eye still hadnтАЩt healed.
But Trent had learned an easy way out. HeтАЩd stand near the front, usually close to
where Billy was, wait for someone to get a ball and stand still. The sooner he got hit the
sooner he could go sit on the bleachers and daydream about Rafgard. It wasnтАЩt like he
cared what these guys thought of him; his only friend was Jen.
When he heard coach RandolfтАЩs whistle, he knew his relief had come premature.
 Kith тАУ 11 тАУ
тАЬMen! WeтАЩre going to make this game interesting today.тАЭ Like most phys-ed
teachers, coach Randolf sounded like a rejected marine. тАЬThe girls are joining us for this
class.тАЭ
Trent felt his lungs tighten, his breaths draw short, and his legs stiffen as the girls
poured into the gym. They formed a human barrier around the boys, whose duty was to
snatch the ball and give it to a boy of their choice. Trent had heard of the coach doing this
once, but up until today he had thought it was just a rumour.
тАЬBloody тАШell,тАЭ Trent whispered, glancing behind him to see Jen waving. She even
smiled.
тАЬMan your territory!тАЭ coach yelled.
Trent straddled his legs and moved closer to the middle. This time he had to try not to
get hit, and how hard could that be? Ten guys on his side, eleven on the other. He could
at least last a short while, or so he thought until he met BillyтАЩs eyes.