Sasquatch in the Paint by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Page A

quite be identified?”
    An uncomfortable silence settled in.
    â€œYou’re kind of mean,” Brian finally said.
    â€œI’m not being mean. I live there, too. I recognize my own kind. Like dogs, only without the awkward sniffing.”
    â€œHey, Theo,” Tunes called from the WOW table. “Is this right?” He played the piano app on his phone. It was Gavin’s song. Other students turned to listen.
    â€œWhy are you playing that?” Theo snapped.
    â€œBecause it’s a cool tune. I think I remember most of it.” He tapped out the melody and sang a few lyrics. Students at other tables nodded, impressed. When he was done, he called, “Is that right?”
    Theo turned away. “I don’t know, and I don’t care.”
    â€œCan I borrow the CD from your backpack so I can burn a copy?”
    â€œNo!” Theo said. “I told you, it’s supposed to be private. He doesn’t want other people listening to it.”
    â€œToo late,” one of his WOW buddies said with a chuckle.
    â€œSorry, man,” Tunes said, and put his phone away.
    Everyone returned to what they were doing as if nothing had happened. Theo thought everything in middle school was like that. Students went through the day like pets on a leash. When something shiny or loud caught their attention, they all looked and barked for a few seconds, then continued walking until they passed the next shiny or loud thing.
    â€œThis day sucks,” Theo muttered.
    â€œIt’s about to get suckier,” Brian said. “Bogie at three o’clock!”
    Theo and Rain turned to see Brooke approaching with another girl beside her. The other girl was a seventh grader, Constance Rodriguez, who was an alternate on the Brain Train team. The alternates trained at a separate time, and then the two teams had a mock showdown before official matches as a way to prep the first team. The first team always beat the alternate team. Theo had been on the alternate team for two years. Last year he and Constance were on it together. Constance was very smart.
    â€œDon’t walk too close to her, Constance,” Brian whispered to Theo, “you’ll burst into flames.”
    Theo laughed.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?” Brooke said. “Never mind, I’m sure it was some sort of adolescent male insult directed at me.”
    Theo and Brian looked away.
    Brooke checked out Rain as if she were a broken toy she’d received for Christmas. One dipped in dog poop. Then she ignored her and focused on Theo. “After your pathetic performance today, I proposed to Mr. J that we send you down as an alternate and bring Constance up to replace you.”
    â€œWhat?!” Brian hollered. Several students still eating lunch turned to look. “You can’t do that!”
    â€œCan. Did.”
    â€œBut Theo is one of the best members of the team.”
    â€œWas. Isn’t. Notice the verb tense change?”
    Theo didn’t know what to say. It had never occurred to him that even Brooke would ever do something as terrible as this to him. “What did Mr. J say?” he finally asked.
    â€œHe didn’t say yes. But he didn’t say no.” She almost smiled. “He said it was an interesting suggestion and he would take it under advisement.”
    Theo was even more shocked. He would have expected Mr. J to kick her out of his office, maybe even off the team, for making such an underhanded suggestion. Theo knew Mr. J was a teacher and all, but he thought they were sort of friends. As much as you could be with a teacher.
    â€œDude,” Brian said to Brooke, “you are like some kind of Evil Queen or Wicked Witch. Seriously.”
    Brooke snorted. Theo recognized it as Snort Number 16: “Whatever you said isn’t worth listening to because you are beneath my notice.”
    Theo considered Constance. They’d been friendly when they were both alternates.