Split Decision Read Online Free Page A

most imposing athlete, in the freshman class?
    But the science hall was truly a smoke-free zone today. Jessica made a feeble attempt to hug Chop, then pivoted and marched away, her hands covering her face.
    Cody, who had paused when he got within ten yards of the now ex-couple, headed for his friend. He saw Chop face a locker and draw back his fist.
    Before the “Chop, noooooo!” could escape his mouth, Pork Chop slammed his hand, hammer-style, into one of the powder blue lockers.
    Cody hurried to his friend’s side. Chop stood sullen, tentatively opening and closing his right fist.
    “Did you break it?” Cody asked.
    “Ha,” Chop answered humorlessly. “You mean my fist or the locker?”
    “I don’t care about the locker, but you’re not gonna be any good this spring with a busted-up hand.”
    “I hit it with the meaty part of the hand—like a hammer— not my knuckles; I’m not stupid, you know!”
    Cody sighed. “Yeah, Chop, I’m really glad you picked the smart way to bash your fist into a metal locker.”
    Chop stopped flexing his hand. “Look, Code, if you just came over to pile on after Jessica dumped me, you can just—”
    “She really broke up with you in public, in the hallway—just like that?”
    “Just like that.”
    “You wanna talk about it?”
    “Not right now, dawg. I wanna go to conditioning, lift every weight in the whole stinkin’ weight room. And maybe I’ll toss a forty-five-pound plate right through the window of Jessica’s car.”
    “Jessica doesn’t have a car, Chop.”
    “Well, her mama’s car then.”
    “Chop, listen to yourself. We really need to talk. After conditioning this afternoon, okay? I’ll buy you a shake at Dairy Delight.”
    Pork Chop appeared to be considering the offer. At last, he nodded once. “Okay, the Double D it is. I’ll drive you over.”
    Cody frowned. “But Chop, you have just a learner’s permit. I don’t think we should—”
    “Arrrgh!” Pork Chop bellowed. “Dawg, you are draining the life outta me.”
    “Okay, Okay,” Cody said holding up his right palm, like a traffic cop. “I guess it’ll be all right. I’ll see you after workouts.”

    Cody sat across from Pork Chop at the Dairy Delight’s rearmost booth. He wondered how many minutes had passed since he had asked his friend what led to the breakup.
    “You know how it is,” Chop said, finally breaking the uneasy silence. “Everybody wants a piece of the Chop. But only for a while. Jessica’s just like all the rest of ’em. I bet she can’t wait till all her friends are gathered around her, firing questions at her—‘What was it like, Jess, dating a black dude? Was he always grabbing at you and stuff? What did your parents think? Were they scared? Was it weird—having people stare at the two of you at the movies and stuff?’”
    Cody narrowed his eyes. He felt a strange tightness in his stomach. “You really think that’s how it will be?” he asked.
    Chop shook his head dismissively. “I know .”
    “I’m sorry, man. Really. That stinks.”
    “Whatever. At least I give ’em something to talk about. You know, Jessica will still be going on about this when she’s in college. She’ll be all … ‘Yeah, I dated a black guy once …’—and her sorority sisters will be surrounding her like she’s delivering the Sermon on the Mount or something.”
    Cody noticed that his dinner was now about halfway up his throat. He swallowed hard. “I really am sorry, Chop. I hope you know—”
    Chop held out both arms, as if he were signaling a pass-interference penalty. “You don’t have to say anything, little brother. I know what’s in your heart. It’s only the people who are hiding something, who aren’t keeping it real, that have to try to explain themselves. I mean … have you ever described me as your ‘black friend’?”
    Cody shook his head slowly. “Only as my best friend.”
    “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. We’re cool. It’s the others that