Dead Hunt Read Online Free Page A

two looked at him.
    “I can understand Outback Jack there picking
up for you,” Paul explained, “But why did you take the heat?”
    “You may not give a shit about getting
expelled,” Michael answered, “but there is a whole student body,
and a football team, that does care. They want to win the
championship this year, and, as much as I hate to admit it, they
probably can’t do it without you. I did it for them, not you. And I
wasn’t about to let this guy get deported for helping me.”
    Paul leaned back and said nothing. A few
minutes later he mumbled, “I can respect that.” Another long pause
later he added, “Thanks.”
    “For what?” Michael asked.
    Paul ignored his question and turned his
attention to Wade, “You’re one tough, friggin’ Aussie. That punch
would have knocked out a lesser man.”
    “I saw bloody stars, Mate.” Wade laughed.
“That would have been bloody humiliating, to stand up to you and
get knocked out with one punch. No worries about deporting me, I
would have swum all the way back to Australia in shame.”
    They all laughed.
    Paul rubbed his jaw, “You gotta mighty mean
hook yourself.”
    “I didn’t think you even felt it,” Wade said
with a raised eyebrow.
    “Oh, I felt it,” Paul smiled.
    “For the record,” Wade told Michael, “hitting
him is like punching a tree. What the hell do you have in your
head?” he asked Paul.
    “Just concrete and stuff,” Paul answered with
a grin.
    They all laughed again; more awkward silence
followed.
    “Everyone probably thinks we are going to
finish this after school,” Paul finally said, and Wade nodded in
agreement.
    “I think it’s safe to say,” Paul continued,
rubbing his jaw, “if we go at it again, we’ll both probably land in
the hospital.”
    “Bloody oath, Mate.”
    “What?” Paul asked.
    “True enough.” Wade explained, “So….we
good?”
    Paul nodded, “We good.”
    And, from that point on, they became good
friends. It wasn’t every day that Paul met someone who not only
stood up to him, but would have actually given him a run for his
money. He wasn’t afraid of Wade, but he knew it would be one a hell
of a fight, and win, lose, or draw, he would have been hurting for
many days. Wade was tough and stood up for someone, and Paul
respected him for that.
    He still disliked Michael, but he did respect
the fact that even though Michael knew he didn’t have a prayer
against him, he still stood his ground. And more importantly,
Michael could have easily had him expelled but had been willing to
take the blame for the better of the entire school. He had to
respect someone who put other people first. Michael still got on
his nerves, especially when he caught him staring at his
girlfriend, but he respected what Michael did and decided to leave
him alone.
    Wade and Michael also became good friends.
Wade started to attend Paul’s football games and always invited
Michael.
    Over time Paul learned to tolerate Michael,
and though he would never admit it, he occasionally enjoyed having
Michael around. They still disliked each other for the most part,
one good deed was not about to undo years of torment and hatred,
but they could at least be civilized to each other.
    Paul still made the occasional dig at him,
but it was more in jest than to be mean. Paul learned that Michael
was pretty quick with the come-backs and wasn’t afraid to voice his
opinion.
    Paul jokingly challenged Michael to a game of
‘knuckles’, fully expecting Michael to be wincing like a little
girl within a few minutes, and quickly learned that Michael had
more than just a quick mind; he also had reflexes like a cat,
because it was Paul who was getting the sore hands from the game.
Even Wade tried, and Michael beat him at the game too. What Michael
lacked in physical size he more than compensated for with quick wit
and lightening-fast hands.
    Paul and Wade started teaching Michael how to
defend himself, not that Michael would ever need protection