As if on cue, the baby makes another gurgling noise.
I shudder. “I don’t like that it makes noises unprompted. It’s so freaky.”
“All we have to do is interact with it. At least we don’t have to write a paper.”
I nod. “That is a bonus.”
We walk across the front lawns of the school and head for the footpath, which leads toward Main Street.
Kai, Parker, and Lewis hang by the fence and immediately spot us.
Kai laughs at the sight of us. “What’s this? Why do you have a baby carrier?”
“It’s my new assignment,” I reply. “I’m paired up with Milo.”
“Huh? Since when?” Kai asks, confused. “What class is this for?”
“It’s extra-credit to make up for other assignments we didn’t pass,” Milo says.
Kai stifles a laugh. “What, like not being able to kick a ball straight?”
“Wait, they can just give you a baby assignment?” Parker says with alarm. “How bad do your grades need to be to be dumped with this?”
Lewis nudges him and motions at Milo. “It can’t take that much if Milo has the assignment.”
Milo shakes his head, his gaze low as he tries to ignore the boys. “We’d better go,” he murmurs to me.
“We’re just waiting for Tyler to catch up and then we’re heading to the park,” Kai says. “You coming?”
I motion to the carrier Milo is carrying. “Hello? I just told you I have a new assignment.”
Kai shrugs. “So?”
“I can’t just ditch it,” I argue. “It has motion sensors for if I’m around or not.”
Kai winces and points at Milo. “Let him do it. It’s not like it wasn’t obvious he’d fail that phys-ed assignment. He knew what he was in for.”
I was blaming Milo for this mess because hanging out with Christie and Ash led to me missing a tutoring session. But really, it’s all Kai’s fault. Him and his obsession with Tabitha Jones. If they weren’t so barf-inducing, I could’ve stayed at my lunch table and never spoken a word to Christie. Everything would’ve gone along as per normal. I’d be hanging with my friends and only dealing with Milo in small doses.
I’ve just mentioned I wanted to spend my weekend with my best friend at the skatepark, but as if that’ll happen. How many times this week has he already blown me off for Tabitha? How could I expect this weekend to be any different?
“If you knew he’d fail, why didn’t you teach him something?” I ask Kai.
Kai screws up his face. “Pfft. I’ve known this guy long enough to know giving him pointers is a lost cause.”
“Pfft.” I bat a hand, turning away from Kai. “Whatever.”
“Whoa. What gives? Are you dissing me, Jamie?” Kai asks, stepping up to me. “What? Are you blaming me for this stupid baby project because I didn’t help Milo? I don’t even understand why you two are paired up for this.”
I turn around and smack into Kai’s chest. I step back with a huff. “Milo’s in this because he cares about his grades. I’m here because, unlike some people, I have to study to stay in school.”
“James, stop being all huffy with me,” Kai says, opening his arms wide. “I was just kidding around with you. Come on, give me a hug.”
I take the carrier from Milo. “Sorry, my hands are full.”
“James, what the heck?” Kai asks, dropping his arms to his sides. “Are you really mad at me?”
“No,” I say, pacing away from them. “I’m just mad.”
