Grind (7 page)

I walked down the hall until I reached Wally's room. I peeked in the door. There were two beds — one empty; the other holding Wally. He was all tucked in, his eyes closed. He looked peaceful, like he was sleeping.

I tiptoed into the room and slowly lowered myself into the chair beside the bed. There was a low whistling sound—Wally breathing through his nose. The chair was soft and I was so tired. Maybe if I closed my eyes I could get a little more sleep. If I went to sleep, maybe I could wake up and this would all be a bad dream.

“Phil?”

My eyes popped open. Wally was looking at me.

“It's good to see you,” he said.

“It's better to see you. How are you feeling?”

“Tired … sore … doped up like I'm floating on a cloud.”

“I just wanted to tell you I'm so sorry,” I said. “It's all my fault.”

“Your fault? You didn't miss the jump,” Wally said.

“But you only did it because I pushed you.”

“I did it because I wanted to do it. You had faith in me, that's all. It's good to have people believe in you,” Wally said. “Maybe I
should apologize to you and Lisa and Nevin for blowing the trick.” Wally paused. “Did Nevin get it all on tape?”

I nodded.

“Have you seen it?”

I nodded again, fighting the urge to shudder. It was even worse seeing it replayed, especially in slow motion.

“I hope he brings it in so I can see it.”

“You want to see it?” I couldn't believe it.

“Why not? I can't really remember it and I'd like to see the footage before Nevin posts it on the site.”

“He's not going to post it,” I said.

“Why not?” Wally asked. “A good slam is just as interesting to watch as a good trick. It was a good slam wasn't it?”

“One of the best I've ever seen,” I admitted.

“Good, because that's the last thing of mine that will ever be posted. I'm retiring.”

“You're going to stop skating?”

“This leg isn't going to give me much choice. I'll be in a cast for at least two months.”

“You can skate after that,” I said.

“My mother may have some other ideas.”

“Maybe I should stop skating for a while too,” I suggested.

“Yeah, right, like that's going to happen,” he laughed.

“Seriously, maybe I shouldn't skate for a while.”

“You can't quit right now. You still have one more trick you have to do,” Wally said.

“What trick?”

“Are you forgetting our deal? I tried my trick so you have to jump the police car.”

“You're joking, right?”

He shook his head. “A deal is a deal. Make sure Nevin tapes it so I can see it. Who knows, if things go wrong, you and I might become roommates. There is an empty bed,” he said, motioning to the bed beside him.

“Thanks for the offer.”

“I think it might be good if I went back to sleep now,” Wally said. His eyes were already closed.

“That's a good idea. I'll just stay, if you don't mind. Your dad is coming in a while and I'll wait until he gets here.”

“Sure,” Wally said. “When you go, could you do me a favor?”

“Of course, just name it.”

“Find Lisa. Tell her you were an idiot for what you did and that you're sorry.”

“I already told her that.”

“Then tell her again. This time make sure you tell her what a jerk you were.”

“Thanks.”

“It's the truth,” Wally said.

“I know,” I admitted.

“And just keep telling her that until she finally agrees to go out with you again just to shut you up. Can you do that?”

“I don't know if it'll work.”

“Maybe it will, and maybe it won't, but you have to try. As a wise man once said to me, no guts, no glory, and I've certainly spilled enough guts to prove it.”

“Wally, I'm so sorry and —”

“Shut up already. Now leave me alone so I can sleep.”

“I'll just wait until your father gets here.”

“Go now. Go and talk to Lisa. I'm giving you a head start.”

“A head start?” I asked.

“Maybe it's the drugs talking, but I've been thinking. Once I'm out of this bed, if you're not already with Lisa again, I'm asking her out.”

“You're not joking, are you,” I said.

He shook his head. “Sometimes you just have to go for it…no matter what happens. Right?”

I stood up. “You get back to sleep and I'll go and talk to Lisa. Thanks for the advice… and the head start.”

“That's what friends are for. Especially best friends,” he said, his words hardly a whisper, his eyes closed.

I had the urge to bend down and give him a hug or even a kiss on the forehead, like his mother had given me, but that was way too goofy.

“Later, Wally,” I said.

“Later…and say hello to Lisa for me,” he said, the last words fading to nothing.

I stopped at the door. It looked like he was already asleep. “Thanks, Wally.”

He was right. Sometimes you have to go
for it. And sometimes you don't. The hard part was deciding which was which. This time I knew.

I was going over to Lisa's house and I was going to apologize again. And again and again if I needed to. I just hoped she'd listen.

But I had one more thing to do first. I had to find Nevin. And an empty police car.

Also by Eric Walters Overdrive

“Go! Get out of here!”

I saw red flashing lights behind me in the distance. For a split second I took my foot off the accelerator. Then I pressed down harder and took a quick left turn
.

Jake has finally got his driver's license, and tonight he has his brother's car as well. He and his friend Mickey take the car out and cruise the strip. When they challenge another driver to a road race, a disastrous chain reaction causes an accident. Jake and Mickey leave the scene, trying to convince themselves they were not involved. The driver of the other car was Luke, a one-time friend of Jake's. Jake struggles to choose the right thing to do. Should he pretend he was not involved and hope Luke doesn't remember? Or should he go to the police?

OTHER TITLES IN THE ORCA SOUNDINGS SERIES

Blue Moon
by Marilyn Halvorson

Bull Rider
by Marilyn Halvorson

Death Wind
by William Bell

Fastback Beach
by Shirlee Smith Matheson

The Hemingway Tradition
by Kristin Butcher

Hit Squad
by James Heneghan

Kicked Out
by Beth Goobie

No Problem
by Dayle Campbell Gaetz

One More Step
by Sheree Fitch

Overdrive
by Eric Walters

Refuge Cove
by Lesley Choyce

Sticks and Stones
by Beth Goobie

Thunderbowl
by Lesley Choyce

Tough Trails
by Irene Morck

The Trouble With Liberty
by Kristin Butcher

Truth
by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

Who Owns Kelly Paddik?
by Beth Goobie

Zee's Way
by Kristin Butcher

NEW Orca Soundings novel

No More Pranks by Monique Polak

The noise—it sounded now like a loud bleating sound — was coming from the water. As I turned to look in the direction of the Saguenay, I saw something huge and black. Against the dark horizon it looked as big as a mountain. But something told me it was a whale. Something else told me he was in trouble—big trouble
.

Suspended from school for pulling pranks, Pete is sent to spend the summer working with his uncle, a whale-watching guide in a tourist town far from the city.

Unable to give up on practical jokes completely, Pete learns about whales and helps lead tours. When a whale is injured by a reckless tour guide, Pete struggles to save the animal. Then Pete has to pull the most important prank of his life to bring the guide to justice.

NEW Orca Soundings novel

Charmed by Carrie Mac

Cody Dillon comes and rescues me (RESCUES ME!). He takes me to his apartment (HIS OWN APARTMENT!) and runs me a bubble bath. He lights a bunch of candles and turns the light off. He sits on the floor and keeps me company. He says I can stay here as long as I want. Um, hello, heaven? Izzy McAfferty has arrived, in case anyone wants to know
.

Izzy's mother works far away and leaves Izzy at home, alone with Rob the Slob. Angry at her mother and trying to deal with school, friends and the attentions of charismatic Cody Dillon, Izzy finds her life swirling out of control. After “borrowing” money from her mother's boyfriend, she is forced to leave home until she can repay it. Ending up with Cody and living in the city, Izzy makes misguided choices that are all wrong.

NEW Orca Soundings novel

My Time as Caz Hazard by Tanya Lloyd Kyi

“How can you be like this? What if this was our fault?” I could feel my voice growing loud and shrill
.

“Shut up!” Amanda grabbed my arm, hard. “You're not making sense. What did we have to do with it? No one kills herself over a ripped shirt. Understand?”

Moving to a new school, Caz is told she is dyslexic and sent to Special Education classes. She tries to fit in and get by while suffering the taunts and abuse that others throw at the students in her class. Her friendship with Amanda leads her into new territory — shop-lifting and skipping school. Coupled with her parents' impending separation, her life is anything but stable and continues to spiral out of control. And when Caz and Amanda's behavior seems to contribute to a classmate's suicide, Caz must take a long hard look at her life.