Cheat by Kristen Butcher Page A

You really did chase down this story. But how did you know about the guy showering in the boys’ change room?” she asked. “Laurel Quinn, you didn’t make that stuff up, did you?”
    This time I was shocked for real. “Of course I didn’t! After school I just hung around for a couple of hours. I thought maybe the guy would come back.”
    â€œAnd did he?”
    I nodded. “He didn’t try to get in, but he did come back. At first I wasn’t sure it was him. But how many scruffy-looking guys stand outside a school for ten minutes staring at a vent? It had to be the squatter. So I went to talk to him.”
    â€œWeren’t you scared?” Tara said.
    â€œI mean he could have attacked you or something.”
    â€œOoh, I never even thought of that.
    Nothing happened though. The guy was actually pretty nice. He answered all my questions. All I had with me was five dollars, but I gave it to him. Hopefully he got something hot to eat. He sure needed it. He looked cold, and he was skinny as anything.”
    Tara straightened in her chair. “I guess you are a reporter. But isn’t it going to kill to go back to writing about volleyball games and school debates?”
    The bell rang, so I didn’t have a chance to answer. I was definitely thinking about what Tara had said though. Reporting on normal school activities would be pretty tame now that I’d had a taste of real journalism.

Chapter Two
    The paper had just come out at lunch, but it seemed like everyone had read my article by the time we went back to class. Walking to my locker was like strolling the red carpet. Every few steps, somebody would congratulate me—even kids I didn’t know.
    â€œGreat story, Laurel.”
    â€œSuper article.”
    â€œGood stuff.”
    I couldn’t quit smiling. People had read my article and liked it. Even Jack complimented me on the story.
    I thought I was seeing things. We might be brother and sister, but at school Jack barely acknowledges I exist. But there he was leaning on my locker door and grinning at me.
    â€œNice work, sis.” He bopped my head with the rolled-up newspaper. “Good story. I liked the human-interest angle.
    Clever.”
    â€œThanks,” I said. Then, because it just wouldn’t be normal if I didn’t give him a hard time, I added, “Who knew you could read?”
    He shot me a sour look. “Funny. Do you think half the colleges in the States would be recruiting me if I wasn’t a brain?”
    I rolled my eyes. “They don’t care if you even have a brain, just as long as you can shoot a basketball. Let me guess—you saw the article Dean wrote about you.” I snatched the newspaper from his hand and unrolled it. “Aha! I knew it.” I smacked the page with the back of my hand. Then I read the headline. Barton High Senior Destined for Greatness . I clucked my tongue. “Don’t believe everything you read, brother dearest. Dean tends to exaggerate.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Jack frowned and grabbed the paper back. “Everything in here is true. I am being recruited by a half-dozen NCAA colleges. They’ve all offered me a free ride. Arizona, Oregon, Washington, Oklahoma—I just have to decide which one deserves me.”
    I rolled my eyes again. “Believe me—none of them deserves you. But by the time they realize it, it will be too late. You’ll already be there.”
    â€œWas that a shot?”
    â€œIf you can’t tell, I rest my case.” I gave him a shove. “Now get out of here before someone sees us and figures out we’re related. I don’t want you wrecking my reputation.”
    He snorted and swaggered away.
    Though he’s a tough act to follow, I am proud of my brother. I would never tell him that to his face, but it’s true. He is really smart. He gets almost straight As, and of course he’s an amazing