Hit & Miss Read Online Free Page A

school.
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    â€œI got a ninety-three.”
    It was the end of the school day, and Derek was standing near the main entrance of the school, comparing test results with Gary Parnell, the smartest kid in fourth grade. Gary had been in his class last year too, and the two boys had been rivals for almost two years running.
    Gary made a big show of pulling his test paper out of his book bag. “Read it and weep, Jeter,” he said with a satisfied grin.
    â€œNinety-eight. Nice work, Gary.” Derek handed the paper back to him. “Watch out next time, though. I’m getting closer.”
    â€œIn your dreams,” said Gary, tucking the precious paper back into his bag, which was full of such papers.
    Gary never got tired of rubbing it in. Derek had beaten him on a test only once, but that had been such a sweet victory that Derek had been working twice as hard ever since to beat him again, just to see that shocked look on Gary’s face one more time.
    Derek saw Dave duck out the main door. “I’ve got to go, Gary. See you tomorrow.”
    â€œYeah. Science test! Can’t wait.” He rubbed his hands together, imagining another victory over Derek.
    â€œMe neither.”
    Derek smiled right back at him, mustering enough confidence that Gary was taken aback, at least for a moment. Then Gary laughed and nodded. “Okay, game on then, Jeter. See you tomorrow.” He gave Derek a little fist pound and headed down the street.
    â€œHey, Dave, wait up!” Derek called, turning.
    Dave, who had been walking toward the far end of the parking lot at a brisk pace, stopped and frowned when he saw Derek jogging toward him. He jutted his chin out and said, “What do you want?”
    â€œWhoa.” Derek was thrown off balance. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
    Dave screwed his face up into a skeptical look. “What, did Mr. Beckham tell you to go make friends with the new kid?”
    â€œHuh? No! No way. He didn’t say anything. I just—I . . .”
    Derek fell silent as words failed him. What had he been trying to do, anyway? Suddenly he felt foolish and wished he’d just left Dave to himself.
    â€œOkay, thanks for asking. I’m fine. See you.” Dave turned to go.
    â€œWait! Um, I just wanted to say, nice hit the other day at practice.”
    Dave snorted. “Yeah. The one ball I made contact with. I whiffed on, what, seven?”
    â€œAnd you snagged that ball at third. That was awesome.”
    â€œRight before I threw it to the wrong guy,” Dave added. “Listen, seriously, thanks for trying, but you know as well as I do that I barely know the rules of the game.”
    â€œOh. Well, that’s not hard. I could teach you. I—”
    â€œThanks, but I’ve gotta go. My ride is here.”
    â€œOh. I thought you were walking,” Derek said.
    â€œNah. I live too far away.”
    â€œOh yeah? Where?”
    Dave opened his mouth to reply, but then stopped himself. “I’ve gotta go. Bye.”
    He turned and ran to the edge of the parking lot, then passed through the gate that led out onto the street. An incredibly fancy car waited there, complete with a driver in a black suit and a cap with a shiny visor!
    Dave opened the rear door and got in. As the driver pulled away, Derek just stood and stared.
    â€œWhaaat?” It was Vijay, who had come up behind Derek unseen. “Did you see that?”
    â€œUnreal, huh?”
    â€œI think that was a Mercedes.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œMercedes. Haven’t you heard of them? They’re, like, super expensive. That kid must be soooo rich .”
    â€œLooks that way.”
    The two boys headed back toward the main entrance, where the bus was waiting to take them back to Mount Royal Townhouses. On the bus everybody was talking about the new kid.
    â€œIt was a Mercedes, man,” Jeff was saying to Isaiah.