

Scientists said one thing, people said another, but the end result was the same. Okay, I realized pretty quick that he wasn't technically "dead." He was undead. Anyway, you have no idea how lost-puppy-like Heath looked after you ignored him at lunch. I rolled my eyes, not bothering to try to hide my annoyance at her typical shallowness.

"And kissing him is like sucking on alcohol-soaked feet." I managed to ignore another urge to cough. I was feeling a little dizzy and forced myself to take slow, deep breaths when the coughing fit was over. Not to mention the fact that he's going to get fat from all that beer." I had to pause to cough. I'm sorry, but I don't want to go out with a guy whose main focus in life has changed from trying to play college football to trying to chug a six-pack without puking. "The point is that he was wasted for like the fifth time this week. "Sixteen." I'm crappy at math, but K's math impairment makes me look like a genius. It's been like a million years since Broken Arrow beat Union." Heath is our quarterback so of course he's going to celebrate. "My almost-boyfriend," I corrected her, trying my best not to cough on her. I mean we beat Union!" K shook my shoulder and put her face close to mine. Then, after barely half a breath break, K was back with the babbling. We shared a long-suffering look, in total agreement about the latest injustice committed against me by my mom and the Step-Loser she'd married three really long years ago. He probably wouldn't even have had hardly any if your stupid parents hadn't made you go home right after the game." Are you even listening? I think he only had like four-I dunno-maybe six beers, and maybe like three shots. If I died, would it get me out of my geometry test tomorrow? One could only hope. Wise, my more-than-slightly-insane AP biology teacher, called the Teenage Plague. "No, but Zoey, I swear to God Heath didn't get that drunk after the game. Actually, now that I think about it, no one else noticed him until he spoke, which is, tragically, more evidence of my freakish inability to fit in. Kayla was talking nonstop in her usual K-babble, and she didn't even notice him. Just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse I saw the dead guy standing next to my locker.
