Read Grind for Free Online Page B

said. “It’s a constantly growing and changing thing, almost like it’s alive.”
    â€œIt may not be finished, but it’s perfect,” Wally said.
    â€œNot perfect, but good enough to park on the web,” Nevin said. His fingers started to fly across the keyboard. “It is now on the web and anybody, anywhere in the entire world, can see it.”
    â€œHow about somebody right here?” I asked. “Could I see it?”
    â€œSure.” His fingers started dancing on the keys. Red flames filled the screen. The flames faded away and outlines of skaters shot across the page, accompanied by the sound of wheels rolling on pavement.
    â€œBeautiful opening,” Wally said.
    The skateboards all started coming together, forming some sort of pattern—letters — they were making letters! Then the letters became words: HOGTOWN TRIO!
    â€œWhat does that mean?” I asked.
    â€œThat’s you three,” Nevin explained. “My research showed that all the skating groups had a name. You know, like the Bones Brigade or Dogtown or Warped. I liked the sound of the Hogtown Trio.”
    â€œIt sounds like a musical group,” Lisa said.
    â€œLike a polka band,” I added.
    â€œAnd what would be wrong with that?” Wally asked. “You got something against polka bands?”
    â€œWally, we know you’re Polish and that you used to play the accordion, but still.”
    â€œWe can change the name if you want,” Nevin offered. “But first look at the rest of the site.”
    He scrolled down. There was a big box with birds, like hawks or eagles, flying around. The text said PHILLY FALCON.
    â€œPhilly Falcon?” I gasped. “You changed my name?”
    â€œI wanted something more catchy. I thought Falcon seemed more exciting. What do you think?”
    â€œI think a guy named Nevin shouldn’t be picking on anybody else’s name,” I said.
    â€œNevin is a good name. Besides, it’s not me who wants to be a skating star. I’m just the webmaster. Do you want me to click in and show your tricks?”
    â€œNo,” Lisa said. “First let him see the whole page. Once he starts looking at himself he won’t even realize there are two other people on the site.”
    Nevin scrolled down and there was a picture of Lisa in full skating gear.
    â€œHow come you get to keep your name?” I asked.
    â€œLook again,” she said, pointing at the screen.
    â€œWhat ? You’re still Lisa and …” I looked harder. Lisa was spelled L I I S A.
    â€œThere’s a typo,” I said.
    â€œNo there isn’t. I spelled it that way to make it different,” Nevin said. “I wrote a line on Lisa’s page that says, ‘Whenever she skates she attracts eyes.’ Clever, huh?”
    â€œI’m not sure about that. It just looks like she can’t spell or her parents stutter.”
    Lisa laughed. That sounded so good. It had been a long time since I’d made her laugh.
    â€œNow show him mine,” Wally suggested.
    Nevin scrolled down some more. There was a picture of Wally that looked like he was completely upside down.
    â€œWhen did you take that picture?” I asked.
    â€œYesterday. It looks like he’s inverted because I tipped the camera,” Nevin explained.
    â€œDo you like my name?” Wally asked.
    Big letters said Wally the Wall Waltniski.
    â€œNot bad,” I admitted.
    â€œAnd there’s still one more section you should look at before you look at the shots of you three skating,” Nevin said.
    He moved the mouse to scroll down to the bottom of the page. The final section was called SKATEBOARDING ISN’T A CRIME. He clicked the mouse and the screen faded and then opened up again. It was a shot of me skating. Then the security car came into view, skidded to a stop, and I leaped onto the hood and raced over the top of the car, jumping down off the