My Time as Caz Hazard Read Online Free

throwing the basketball at the wall. I saw a flash of the future — one Hallard kid becomes a famous TV sportscaster. The other ends up illiterate, unemployed and enormous from eating stolen chocolate bars.

Chapter Six
    We progressed to the “sh” sound in Ms. Samuels’ class.
    Her blank box of a classroom was starting to show traces of our existence. There were the badges pinned in one corner, around the Golden Gate Bridge poster. A couple of days before, she had hung clouds from the ceiling in celebration of “cl.” She’d even posted this crazy picture of a stripper that Amanda drew to represent “str.”
    We were also learning rules of spelling that applied to all sorts of words. It was actually kind of cool, when I could remember the rules. For example, when a one-syllable word had a short vowel sound, the end consonant was always doubled. There was a trick to help remember that one — “Buzz off, Miss Pill.”
    When I got to class, Rob and Dodie were the only ones there. Dodie was sitting with her collage — our latest homework assignment in the “sh” category — displayed in front of her. I could see she had done it wrong. She had potato chips in it. As if they were spelled “potato ships.” Of course, it was probably hard to think while wearing such hideous clothes.
    â€œNice cardigan.”
    â€œThanks,” she whispered, without looking up from the table.
    â€œDo you buy your own clothes?”
    She shook her head.
    I started to suggest that she ask for an allowance, but Amanda swooped in.
    â€œCaz Hazard and Dodie Doorknob, you both look smashing this morning,” shechirped, exaggerating the “sh” sound in “smashing.”
    â€œMy last name’s Hallard,” I told her.
    â€œI like Hazard,” she said. “As in hazard to your health.” At that moment she spotted Dodie’s collage on the table.
    â€œDid you actually do that piece of crap assignment? I’ve never heard of something so stupid. I swear that woman thinks we’re in kindergarten.”
    â€œNo, that woman doesn’t,” Ms. Samuels said from behind Amanda as she entered the classroom and closed the door behind her.
    Amanda didn’t even flinch. She just smirked.
    A second later, Ms. Samuels was the one to flinch as the door banged open. Jaz slammed it shut again behind him and dropped into a chair. He pulled a rolled-up piece of paper from the inside pocket of his jean jacket and flicked it onto the table. As far as I could tell, the only thing glued to it was a giant picture of a turkey. I couldn’t help grinning.
    I had kind of liked doing the collage. My mom decided to pick up some more things forher new apartment the night before, so cutting up magazines was a good escape from the sounds of moving furniture. I found a woman’s shoulder. (The poor
Cosmo
model never even saw my scissors coming.) I added pictures of a cruise ship and seashells and snipped a tiny piece of our living room shag rug.
    Ms. Samuels picked up Dodie’s collage from the table. “This is very good, Dodie,” she smiled. “I like your use of color.” I rolled my eyes. It was obvious Ms. Samuels couldn’t think of anything else nice to say.
    â€œCaz? Did you finish your collage?”
    As Ms. Samuels spoke, Amanda turned to look at me. Her raised eyebrows said, “Don’t desert me now.”
    I shook my head. “Didn’t get it done,” I said.
    Ms. Samuels looked disappointed for a moment. “Maybe by tomorrow,” she said. Then she turned to the blackboard and began the class.
    When we left the room at noon, I made sure Amanda and Jaz both left before me. Then I dropped my collage facedown on the table. It wasn’t really like handing it in.
    I finished my lunch early and headed for my locker, thinking that I could grab my sketchbook and put some finishing touches on my work before