Sidetracked Read Online Free

another look, someone is sitting on the ground in the middle of the field as the others run off. I know what I have to do next. I have to pretend I’m just arriving. And act as if I have no clue what happened.
    Why didn’t I yell or call out? There’s no denying I was too chicken. But now, I have to make sure this person is okay, so I sprint across the field. When I get there, I can hardly believe who it is.
    â€œWhat are you still doing here?” is the first thing I ask Zenia.
    She’s sitting on the grass blinking, as if she can’t believe what just happened to her.
    â€œI wiped out on the track when I was running,” Zenia says, avoiding any eye contact with me. She tries to flash one of her bright smiles as she pushes her tangled mane of sandy hair out of her eyes. I’m proud of her for sticking up for herself, but I can’t tell her that.
    â€œNo way! How did that happen?” I try my best to sound surprised. I reach out to help her to her feet, and she slowly heaves herself up. “I was just taking a shortcut home from Kat’s place. You’re not hurt or anything, are you, Zenia?”
    â€œI don’t think so,” she says in a dazed voice. “I just feel really stupid I let it happen. I…I guess I wasn’t paying attention, and I tripped over my backpack. What a total klutz!” Her eyes are locked on the direction the other kids took off in.
    Zenia is totally lying. I can’t believe it. She doesn’t want to tell me what really happened to her. Probably because she’s too proud. And I can’t tell her what I saw, or she’ll know I did nothing to try and help her.
    â€œSo you’re going home now, right?” I say. “I’ll walk with you, okay?”
    â€œSure, that would be cool,” Zenia says.
    She grabs her backpack and flings it over her muscular shoulder. Zenia works out all the time, and she’s tough and wiry. She stood up to those jerks even though they completely outnumbered her. I think I know who was shoving her. I heard Carter’s voice. But I don’t know why it happened.
    We wander home, talking about the track team and the dance coming up next Friday night. We talk about everything except what just happened to her. I can hardly concentrate on what she’s saying. There’s a sick knot in my gut that isn’t from running on a full stomach.

chapter seven
    On Saturday night, I stay home and try to forget the horrible scene I witnessed today. The memory of it eats away at me. Watching a Shrek movie with Abuelo and Mom helps. Abuelo loves the Puss-in-Boots character. He laughs at him the entire time, which makes me and Mom laugh too. My grandfather’s laughing is funnier than the movie.
    Of course, Matt isn’t home. “Going to a buddy’s place to work on an assignment,” he mumbled and left before dinner late this afternoon. But I could see the lie in his shifting eyes. Why hasn’t my mom figured it out, when it’s so obvious?
    As soon as the movie ends, Abuelo says good night and heads to bed so he can get up early to make breakfast for everyone. Now that I have a chance, I decide it’s time to ask my mom about Matt. I kneel on the sofa beside her, cup her chin in my hand and look into her eyes.
    â€œMom, haven’t you been wondering what’s up with Matt lately? How come you never freak out over some of the stuff he’s been doing?” I ask.
    â€œOf course I’ve been wondering, Maddy. You think I should be freaking out?” Mom asks. “Why should I be freaking out?”
    Is my mom totally blind, or what? “Because of the way he snaps at us all sometimes, and how he comes and goes and never really tells us what he’s up to. Plus he breaks his curfew. Aren’t moms supposed to worry about stuff like that?”
    Mom sighs and stretches her legs. “Oh, Madina, of course I worry about your brother. All parents worry