Read Middle School: My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar Online

Authors: James Patterson

Tags: #Family, #Juvenile Fiction, #Social Issues, #Siblings, #School & Education, #Humorous Stories, #Adolescence, #Multigenerational, #Adoption

Middle School: My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar (10 page)

BOOK: Middle School: My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar
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“Let’s do that last song again,” Patti suggested. “I think it’s getting there.”

We launched into the music. I really gave it all I had, and I think that at least half of the notes were right this time. I’ve managed to teach myself three chords on the guitar: G, C, and D. It turns out you can use them for almost anything.

We must have been sounding better, because Rhonda started to dance. Well, I
think
she was dancing.

“CAN I SING WITH YOU GUYS NOW?” Rhonda asked once the song was over.

“Well, sure, Rhonda—” Nanci started, but I glared at her and shook my head. She clammed up.

“Rhonda, we’re not a karaoke machine,” I was explaining just as the breezeway door slammed open. My brother stood there, his fingers plugging his ears.

“Yeah, because a karaoke machine actually sounds like music,” Rafe said.

I was about to tell him to get out, when Rhonda
laughed
. I couldn’t decide which one of them I wanted to throttle first.

“Get out of here, Rafe!” I shouted.

Nanci sighed as he waved and grinned and scooted back through the door. “We kind of do stink,” she admitted.

“I don’t think we should sign up for the Battle of the Bands,” Mari said.

“Yeah, we’ll only embarrass ourselves if we play at your school dance, Georgia,” Patti put in.

“ARE YOU KIDDING? YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!” Rhonda cried. “YOU HAVE TO PLAY THE DANCE!”

Our only groupie
, I thought as I watched Rhonda lace her fingers together and beg. I almost wanted to forgive her for laughing at Rafe’s joke. (It was a joke, right?)

“Next year,” I suggested. “We’re not ready yet. But next year we will be.”

Mari, Nanci, and Patti looked at one another and nodded. “Yeah,” Mari said at last. “Next year we’ll really be ready to rock.”

I hope
, I added, but not out loud.

Squealing on Rafe Is Fun

M
om was home for dinner that night, which meant that dinner would be (a) edible and (b) not my problem, so I had a little time to relax.

I started looking for my copy of
The Book Thief
, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. I retraced my steps to the living room, where Rafe was stretched out on the couch. “Rafe, have you seen
The Book Thief
?”

“Nope.”

“What’s that in your hand?”

“This?” Rafe flipped closed the book he was holding and frowned at the cover. “
The Book Thief
.” He went back to reading.

Reading! What the heck? Rafe doesn’t read!

I planted one hand on my hip and held out the other. “Give it.”

“You know what I like about this book?” Rafe asked casually.

“No…”

“Give me that!” I said, grabbing the book out of his hands. “Mom!” I could hear Rafe laughing as I stomped into the kitchen, fuming.

“What is it, honey?” Mom looked up from the carrots she was chopping, and I noticed that she seemed tired.

“Rafe stole my book,” I reported.

“Rafe?” Mom’s face brightened with a smile. “He wanted to read your book?”

Ugh—this isn’t going well
, I thought. I decided to change tactics. “Rafe has about six months’ worth of old, used chewing gum stuck all over his room.”

“What?” Mom put down the knife.

“Rafe is hoarding old gum,” I told her. “He even keeps some in the toilet!”

That did it.

“Rafe!” Mom shouted, and stomped out of the kitchen. I could practically see the steam coming from her ears.

Ha! Revenge is sweet. Or in Rafe’s case, old and sticky.

My Mom Is My Worst Nightmare

T
he bad news: Jules doesn’t like it when I squeal on Rafe, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. So after she collared Rafe, she sent me to my room. That wasn’t a big surprise.

The good news: Sound travels really well from Rafe’s room to mine, so I could hear every word of Mom’s shriek-fest at Rafe. Also—I had popcorn!

Wow—Mom’s investigation into Rafe’s chewing gum “collection” was really thorough. She even found the gum I’d hidden in his sock drawer!

Rafe was furious, of course. He denied that the gum was his, which only made Mom angrier.

It was fun while it lasted. Unfortunately, it lasted only seven minutes. Then Mom came to my room.

I stashed the popcorn under my bed as she opened my door and then closed it softly behind her. Next, she took a deep breath, almost a sigh, and looked at me. “The school called earlier,” she said.

“Oh.” It was as if frost had settled on my clothes—the chill ran down to my bones. “Um—what about?”

“About your detention.”

“I was going to tell you—” She held up her hand, and I clamped my lips together. “Sorry,” I murmured.

Mom sat at the foot of my bed and ran her fingers through her blond hair. “Georgia, you know that Rafe made a lot of mistakes at Hills Village,” she began.

“I’m not like him,” I said quickly.

“I just don’t want you to go through what he went through.” Mom’s eyes teared up a little, and I felt
awful
.
This is worse than getting yelled at
, I realized. I’ve always tried to be the kid Mom doesn’t have to worry about. I would have given anything to trade places with Rafe at that moment. I’d rather have Mom mad at me than have her disappointed in me.

What kind of world is it when Rafe is reading for fun and I’m making Mom cry by being in detention?

“I’ll never get detention again,” I promised. “I
won’t
.”

“I’m glad to hear it, honey,” Mom said, squeezing my hand.

I swear, I never meant to break my promise so fast.

BOOK: Middle School: My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar
3.02Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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