Undercurrent Read Online Free Page A

hasn’t visited either. I’ve been feeling weird around her lately, probably because this whole “friends” thing isn’t really working for me anymore. Sure, she’s an oddball, as my mother calls her; but she’s pretty and doesn’t seem to know it, with her dark curls and clear, blue-green eyes that sometimes scare me when they flash unexpectedly in my direction.
    The problem is I’m not that great with girls. Not like my brother, anyway. His latest girlfriend is Monica; they’ve been going out the past couple of years. But the way they’ve been fighting lately, I don’t know if that’s going to last much longer.
    As for me, it’s not like I can’t talk to girls. It’s just that I have no idea how to get any further with one. I mean, I’ve fooled around a little bit, getting up under somebody’s shirt once. But I didn’t like her that much, and she didn’t like me that much, and it was all kind of awful.
    I do like Willow, though, and I get the feeling she likes me back. At least I thought she liked me enough to come visit me in the hospital after I nearly died. So I’m pretty hopeful when I finally hear a knock on the door.
    “Come on in,” I call out.
    The door opens. But instead of Cole or Willow or my parents, in walks one of the last people on earth I would expect to see.
    It’s Coach Keller, my gym teacher.
    For a second I wonder if I’ve passed out and am dreaming. Because other than during phys-ed class, I have nothing to do with Keller whatsoever. If it weren’t for my brother having been on the Crocodiles, I doubt he would know my name. Actually I’m still not sure he does.
    But something’s changed. Because now Keller’s acting like we’re lifelong friends.
    “Cal!” he shouts as he enters, grinning widely. He then snaps his head toward the door. “Well, don’t stand out there like a pair of nitwits!” he snarls. “Get in here!’
    If Coach Keller took me off guard, this knocks me square on my ass: It’s Hunter Holden and Ricky Cho. Shuffling past like they’re part of a police lineup, the two football players stop by the window. Combined, they almost block out the daylight.
    Glaring, Keller gives them a nod. It’s Hunter who speaks.
    “Hey, man,” he says. “How are you feeling?”
    I don’t respond. I just stare through him.
    “The falls, huh?” Hunter continues, when the silence becomes unbearably awkward. “Pretty smooth.”
    “Yeah, smooth,” Ricky agrees.
    “Thanks,” I manage to answer. I notice Hunter’s nose is looking a lot straighter than Cole left it. I wonder if he’s had some more work done on it. If so, it was a waste of money; at least the crooked nose gave his fat face some edge.
    With the conversation stalled, Keller revs up. “Listen, we know you’ve been through a lot,” he says, again all smiles. “So we won’t stay. But we wanted you to know that the team is pulling for you.”
    “Thanks, Mr. Keller,” I answer flatly.
    “Coach,” he says. “Please. And I hear that nothing’s broken?”
    “No,” I tell him.
    “It’s a miracle. We were all pretty worried, weren’t we, boys? Worried you wouldn’t make it back.”
    I’m not understanding any of this: why my stupid gym teacher is in my hospital room and why he’s brought his two pets along with him.
    “I’m fine—Coach,” I tell him.
    “Good,” he answers. “We really need you back on your feet. The school needs you. Now rest up, and we’ll talk more in a few days. Now c’mon, guys,” Keller says. “Let Cal get some rest!”
    With that the coach leaves. Hunter and Ricky follow behind like a pair of trained dogs. They probably like sniffing each other’s asses, I think. But as the door closes, I’m feeling blown away. What the hell was that about? I have absolutely no idea.
    The truth is everything seems off. But then again I did just have a seriously whacked experience, as sketchy as the details remain. I’ve been trying hard to remember what happened before I went