Read Wacko Academy for Free Online Page A

 The memory of last night, of being tricked and captured, all came flooding back.  I kept my head down, picked up the book, and pretended to continue reading.  Maybe if I just didn’t acknowledge him, he would march right back through that door and never come back.
    “Could you please look at me?” he begged.
    It became clear that he wasn’t going anywhere.  Forced to address him, I told him to go away through very tightly clenched teeth.  He still didn’t move.
    “Don’t be like that.  Just let me explain.”
    Explain?  He must be joking.  No explaining was ever going to get me to forgive him, and he knew that.  My head snapped up and I glowered at him like I’ve never glowered at anybody before.  The anger that I felt toward him was so strong, I could hardly contain it.  He must have realized this, because he was backing up, quickly.
    “Don’t you want to know what’s going on?” he asked, hands in the air like he was about to get arrested or something.
    I stood up and advanced toward him.  “What I want to know is how I could have been so stupid to trust you.  Part of me knew something was off about you from the minute I met you.  The way you were looking at me.  It was just weird.  Why would a cute rich guy like you be interested in a girl like me?  It made no sense.”
    Dustin stopped backing up and let his hands fall to his sides.  “You have to understand, I wasn’t acting.  You were all really my friends.  You’re the only one I ever told about my mom.  No one else.”
    I wasn’t buying it.  Not anymore.  “Save it for someone who cares, Dustin.  Real friends don’t trick their friends and lie to them from the start.  The only reason you approached me that day was because you had to.  That whole ‘I’m having a bad day too’ stuff, that was just an act.  You wanted me to feel bad and second-guess myself.  Admit it.”
    Knowing that I was right, he didn’t answer.
    After a long, uncomfortable pause, he said, “All that doesn’t matter now.  What matters is that you’re here now and we need to talk.”
    I didn’t really hear anything past “All that doesn’t matter.” It sure as heck did matter.  The traitor had lured me away from everything that I ever cared about.  My family.  My friends.  My life.  All gone because of him, and my foolishness.  There was no telling what these people wanted from me—and I was certain they had no intention of letting me go.  So yes, it mattered a lot.
    Now, I’m the kind of person that doesn’t get into fights.  “Goody Two-Shoes” is what my friends call me sometimes.
    However, at this moment, I was too furious to be my old self.  Before he could finish talking, I pounced.  
    We tumbled to the ground.  He must have been taken by surprise, because I got one punch in before he started fighting back.  Unfortunately, he was a lot stronger than I was and had me pinned in a matter of minutes.  With a scream of rage, I kicked and squirmed.  I even bit him.  He flinched, but didn’t loosen his grip.
    “Get off of me!” I shrieked.
    “Not until you promise to listen.  Look, I know you’re angry and I don’t blame you, but please.  I need to explain.”
    I quit struggling and glared at him.  “Fine, but so far, listening to you has only caused me trouble.”
    He nodded, letting me go.
    I jumped up and turned my back on him, slowly walking over and taking a seat at the edge of my bed.  The good-for-nothing liar sat down next to me.
    Running a hand through his hair, he said with a sigh, “Well, I guess I should start with telling you where we are.  The truth is, I’m not exactly sure about that one myself.  We’re somewhere in Pennsylvania.  This much I know.  I’ve never been to this particular branch before.  All I know is, it’s close enough for me to still attend school—”
    “Whoa, hold up,” I interrupted.  “You’re still going to school?  Our school?  Kindred Valley?”
    He nodded