Read Rainbow Road for Free Online Page A

that fal we came to see the leaves turn color?”
    “Oh my God!” Nelson snapped his fingers. “That was so amazing.”
    “Have you ever been to Shenandoah?” Kyle turned to Jason.
    “No,” Jason said somberly. He’d always wanted to, but his drunken dad never took their family anywhere on vacation, except to visit relatives.
    “You haven’t been to Shenandoah?” Nelson gasped. “You’ve got to see it. Let’s go now!”
    “No,” Jason replied, though he wasn’t exactly sure why. He would’ve liked to see the park, but it annoyed him that Nelson told him he had to see it, as if he felt sorry for him. He didn’t like anyone pitying him.
    “We don’t have time,” he told Nelson. “Since we started late.”
    “But it wouldn’t take long,” Kyle said cheerily. “Skyline Drive goes through the park in our direction.”
    “Come on, Jason.” Nelson reached over and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You’re too tense. Chilax. Smel the roses.” Jason shook Nelson’s hand off but decided not to protest further. “Whatever.”
    Nelson took the next exit, driving south toward the park’s entrance gate, where a line of cars waited, edging slowly forward.
    “Ten dolars,” Jason grumbled, pointing to the admission fee sign.
    “Here.” Kyle handed Nelson a fifty. “It’s my dad’s treat.”
    “Woof!” Nelson exclaimed as he gaped at the ranger in the booth. “Isn’t he adorable in his Smokey Bear hat?” Nelson grabbed his cel phone. “I want his picture.”
    “Dude, don’t!” Jason tried to stop him, but too late.
    As Nelson paid the ranger, he asked, “Mind a picture?”
    Jason slunk down in the seat, hiding his face, while Nelson snapped the photo with the phone camera and drove away.
    “Why do you pul crap like that?” Jason asked, sitting up again.
    “’Cause I wanted his picture.” Nelson handed Kyle his change and the cel phone. “Look! Isn’t he totaly lickable?” Jason turned to Kyle, hoping for backup, but Kyle was looking at the photo image. “It came out great.” Jason groaned, crossing his arms, and turned to stare out the window, thinking there was no way he’d be able to endure this trip.
    But as they wound up the mountain highway, he couldn’t help admiring the tal trees and lush meadows. Deep valeys stretched far into the distance. Roadside waterfals splashed suddenly into view. And deer were everywhere . He’d never seen so many.
    “Isn’t this great?” Kyle exclaimed.
    In spite of himself, Jason nodded. “It’s pretty cool.”
    At the next bend a bus marked FIRST EVANGELICAL CHURCH had puled over onto the road shoulder. Alongside several parked cars, a crowd of people stood peering into a glade.
    Out of curiosity, Nelson puled over and the boys climbed out of the car.
    “What’s going on?” Kyle asked a group of middle-schoolers.
    “Bears,” replied a short girl with braces.
    Jason gazed over the kids’ shoulders. At a distance of about a hundred feet, mama bear stood beside two furry little cubs that roled and tussled in the grass.
    “Man!” Jason grabbed Kyle excitedly. “I wish Melissa could see this.”
    While watching the bears, he overheard the girl with braces tel Nelson, “I like your hair. That’s so wild.”
    “I love your hat,” another said.

    “Where’d you get those cool sunglasses?” a third asked.
    Nelson had barely started chatting with the girls when a moonfaced woman clapped her hands sharply and said, “Girls, stop bothering strangers!”
    “They’re not bothering me.” Nelson smiled.
    The woman’s brow furrowed. “Then I’d appreciate if you’d stop bothering them. Come on, boys and girls, let’s get back onto the bus.”
    “I wasn’t bothering them!” Nelson puled off his glasses and narrowed his eyes at the woman. “You got a problem with something?”
    “Yes, with people like you.” She turned and herded the kids toward the bus.
    “Girlfriend?” Nelson snapped his fingers toward her and bobbed his head.