Fast Break Read Online Free Page B

here.”
    â€œYou’re telling me that nobody in your building knew a twelve-year-old boy was living by himself?”
    Jayson shook his head. “We never got to really know anyone else at the Pines.”
    â€œAnd your friends? Nobody asked about your mom?”
    â€œIf they had, I would’ve told them she was sick but getting better.”
    â€œWhat about your teachers?”
    â€œIf you do good enough at school, they leave you alone. Richie signed my papers once before he left. I’ve been doing it since then.”
    â€œA seventh grader living on his own. No one noticed. That’s sad.”
    Jayson just shrugged.
    â€œWhat were you doing for food?”
    Jayson stared at the floor. “I stole.”
    Ms. Moretti took her glasses off her head and put them on, like she needed something to do with her hands while she thought of what she wanted to say next. Jayson could see the pity in her eyes.
    â€œI don’t need you feeling sorry for me,” he said. “I’m all right.”
    â€œYou are? How can that be?” she said in a soft voice.
    â€œI’m not, actually,” Jayson said. “I’m hungry.”
    She said she could do something about that, and asked him what he liked on his pizza.
    â€œPepperoni,” he said.
    Ms. Moretti nodded.
    â€œAnd sausage,” Jayson added.
    She smiled. “And sausage.”
    After she called in the order, she said, “You mind if I ask one more question, just for now?”
    Jayson sighed. “You’re going to ask it no matter what I say.”
    â€œWhat were you going to do when you couldn’t pay the rent or the bills?”
    Just like that, he wanted to cry. He could feel the tears coming, knew he was too tired to fight them back. But he tried, using anger like he always did.
    â€œI don’t know!”
he yelled across the desk. “Okay? I can’t answer the questions you’re asking me!”
    Ms. Moretti was silent. Jayson expected her to get angry back. Instead, she reached out her hand toward his and said, “Okay.”
    That’s when Jayson lost his fight against the tears.
    They ate the pizza in silence at her desk, Ms. Moretti giving Jayson a cold Snapple from the refrigerator in her office to go with it. The pizza was good, and still hot when the kid brought it.
    When they finished eating, Jayson looked at Ms. Moretti and said, “What happens now?”
    She said, “I make some calls.”
    â€œTo who?”
    â€œTo the potential foster care parents on my list.”
    â€œTo see if any of
them
want to take pity on me?”
    â€œTo see if any of them want to help you get the life you deserve,” she answered.
    Then: “Would you mind sitting in my outer office for a few minutes?”
    â€œDo I have a choice?”
    â€œThe choice you’re about to make is about a better life,” she said.
    â€œWho says I won’t run away once I’m out of here?”
    â€œNo one. And if you did, I don’t think I could catch you, even though I played some high school basketball myself,” she said. “But the two policemen out front probably can.”
    He shrugged. “Whatever.”
    â€œI think there are some copies of
Sports Illustrated
out there.”
    â€œAwesome,” he said sarcastically.
    Truthfully, he was too tired to bolt, but he didn’t tell her that. The boy who never seemed to get tired on a basketball court, who was always going at full speed when the other guys in the game were starting to slow down, was tired now. Or beat. Or beaten down. He couldn’t decide which. He just thought he could go to sleep right now, without even knowing where he’d end up tonight.
    He took a seat in one of the chairs outside and closed his eyes. After about ten minutes Ms. Moretti came out of her office and said, “Well, that didn’t take long.”
    â€œAwesome,” he said again.
    He didn’t believe