568 V2 ch40 (1/2)
At the end of class though, they made sure I knew that they were counting on Zeke giving them a ride home. They couldn't waste time after school. It was strange for them to be so adamant about it, but maybe they thought Zeke would continue prancing them. I just nodded. We usually arrived at the car at the same time, so I couldn't imagine Zeke leaving all of us.
I went to my last class of the day, rejoining Noah. I told him about the way the twins scared me. I didn't dare mention that they wanted me to prank him next month on his birthday.
After school, I thought we would have to convince Zeke to wait for the twins. In a surprising twist...we should have convinced him to wait for us.
Noah looked just as distressed as me as we stared at his empty parking spot. ”He left without us??”
I looked around, watching students heading to their own cars.
”Hey...where's Zeke?” Dave asked, showing up with Kyle. They both looked a little funny in their small clothes and pink hair hiding under hats.
To avoid laughing at them, I had to turn away and not look.
”This is where we parked in the morning.” Noah gestured at the empty spot. Then sighed. ”Guess we'll have to call Mom.”
Honk, honk!
Two very loud honks grabbed our attention and we spotted a familiar car. Mr. Atkins car to be exact. We maneuvered through the parking lot as a group and loaded up in his car. Dave took the front passenger seat while Noah squeezed between me and Kyle in the middle row.
”What are you doing here, Dad?” Noah asked.
”Was Zeke trying to pull another prank?” Kyle didn't wait for an answer. ”I bet he just loved making us looked like idiots today.”
Mr. Atkins smiled. ”No. As far as I know, that's all he had planned.”
”Then where did he go..?” Dave asked.
Mr. Atkins drove, getting in the line of cars trying to leave the school parking lot. ”We had some surprised guests today at the house. We called the school to let Zeke come home early.”
”What!”
”Who could it be?”
”Was the school even okay with that?”
All the boys asked at once.
Mr. Atkins tapped the steering wheel as we sat in traffic. ”Should I tell you boys..? It's not like you guys not to know what's going on today?”
Noah nudged me and gave me a look. I think he wanted me to say something.
Oh. I cleared my throat. ”I don't know either...”
Mr. Atkins glanced back at me, using the rear view mirror. ”Whoops. Sorry, Jake. Let me give you guys a hint: something to do with baseball.”
”So vague.” Dave muttered.
”Dad, that hint wasn't helpful at all.” Kyle retorted.
Noah thought for a second before leaning forward, sticking his head between his dad and Dave. ”Baseball and Zeke? Real baseball?? MLB kind of baseball???”
Mr. Atkins laughed. ”Yes. See, boys? Noah got it.”
”What is it?”
”It's the draft! Today is draft day!” Noah exclaimed, sitting back, proud of himself for figuring it out first.
”Wait. Does that mean Zeke is at home, preparing for the draft?” Dave asked, jaw dropped. ”What about Stanford?”