On Edge Read Online Free Page A

sister’s beautiful? I’d think you’d be used to it.” Haze took a step back probably so he could face me and keep my brother in sight. Or maybe just completely drive Warp nuts by giving me the once-over. “I could create a masterpiece with her face alone. Look at those shiny brown eyes and high cheekbones flushed from running. Or maybe something else?” Again, he smiled the smile that I swear all boys learn in sixth grade: Cute and full of promise. “She’s an artist’s muse.”
    Warp took a step and so did I. “Stop,” I said in a voice hopefully low enough to sound authoritative, but neither of them seemed swayed by it.
    â€œAnd the blue stripe down the side? Rebellious but doesn’t take away from the dark brown perfection that is your hair.”
    Artists. Unafraid of words and lethal when using them. If I were the type to swoon, I’d have face-planted right there—even knowing that he’d said what he did to rile my brother.
    Surge, at this point, was gonna need a de-fib if he couldn’t catch his breath.
    â€œYou think that shit’s funny? You mocking my sister, you fucking fag?” Warp cussed, trying to get Haze’s attention, but the writer’s eyes were set firmly on me, his smile as genuine as though he’d meant every flowery word.
    â€œI like it,” he finished, tracing the side of his own face to indicate my blue strand.
    Warp’s right eye twitched and I felt his muscles coil under my hold.
    I liked Haze’s approval because he was the first person who said anything positive about my lock of blue hair. Still, for goading my brother, his sanity was in question.
    â€œThanks,” I said lamely.
    My gratitude came out more clipped than I intended, but I was glad it didn’t come out like a sigh.
    Past his limit, Warp pushed me out of the way and stepped up to bat, grabbing the front of Haze’s shirt in his fists. “I said stop eyeballing my sister!”
    â€œGet your hands off me before you get hurt,” Haze warned.
    Dropping his paint cans, he grabbed my brother’s wrists and looked as if he were going to do something of a karate nature. My brother’s position sucked, to say the least.
    â€œWarp! This is getting absurd. No one’s going to think you’re the big bad, picking on someone who’s clearly outnumbered.”
    The air around Haze and Warp trembled with suppressed testosterone. Neither looked ready to back down. I knew sooner or later someone was going to pop. “Surge, do something.”
    Standing up straight, Surge rubbed his thumb over his nostrils and sniffed, collecting himself. “My cousins always say, never interfere in a cockfight.”
    I glared at him.
    â€œA’ight, a’ight. Come on, Big W. You’re making your sister freak.”
    â€œThen take her outta here!”
    I folded my arms over my chest, hoping I looked pissed with a dash of violent intent. “I’m not going anywhere!”
    A door in the alley slammed open, banging against the wall, and a dark silhouette appeared in the archway. “Ya’ll better get off my damn property!”
    I squinted at the intruder but couldn’t make out more than a lump for the head. The gun, though—crystal clear.

Four
    Funny thing about teens who are constantly accused of being trespassers—we all know the sound of impending death when we hear it. Like cockroaches exposed to light, the second we heard the familiar pumping action of the shotgun, we scattered.
    â€œSurge,” my brother yelled.
    â€œGot it,” Surge answered, claiming responsibility for me while Warp and the rest of the boys ran up the side of the apartment building to take the attention off my escape.
    I scaled the brick wall and teetered on the top, irrationally concerned for Haze, who was left behind to collect his paint cans. With a speed that said this wasn’t his first criminal excursion, I