Chapter 12

“I hope you understand,” Ben Ramirez said. “I have work after hours. I can’t work on this project with you.”

“It’s okay,” I said as my supposedly economics paper partner struggled to make excuses in front of me. “I’m sure you can find somebody else to work with.” Then he walked away.

I don’t need a term paper partner. I can do this alone. My professor suggested we work in twos. I picked Ben Ramirez’s name in the hat. He flinched when I read his name out loud, and he looked like he was shitting in his pants.

Wow! Do I smell bad? Look bad? He looked like he couldn’t wait to get rid of me.

I had been in the university for almost two months now, and I could say I had been better. A lot better!

“That’s the third one now, right?” said April Jones, a girl I had been hanging out with since the start of school. She’s a freshman too, and she had her locker beside mine, and so far, she was the only person I have spoken to regularly in school.

“I guess. Is something wrong with me?” I asked her.

“