Chapter 133
Luckily, it wasn’t that hard to get Ms. Mulaney’s manuscript.
I’d gone through the usual routine—but instead of leaving when she got her phone call, I doubled back behind her.
I lurked out of sight, a few paces behind Ms. Mulaney while she had her dream-shattering phone call.
Which meant I was there to see her take the manuscript out of her bag, look at it for a long moment—then drop it in the trash can and walk away.
Once I was certain she was gone, I hurried over and scooped it up, glad that it was still bound with its rubber band and I wasn’t having to chase down loose pages. And then, with the draft of Hurricane Madison in my hands, I just had to find a place to read it.
I started out at a table by Smokejumpers Grill.
But for whatever reason, the area that had been really conducive to learning piano was distracting as I was trying to read.
I ordered a burger to go—it was getting close to the same time that I always got hungry—and then took the manuscript with me as I headed across the park.
I was keeping an eye out to make sure I wouldn’t run into anyone—by this point, it was pretty much second nature.
I had a map in my head of where everyone was, and where they were going to be.
After this much time, I knew everyone’s loops by heart.
I ended at Radiator Springs Racers. Even with the shorter lines because of Grad Nite, there was still about a half an hour wait.
Which was perfect—I could read, and then when I reached the front, I could go on my favorite ride, then do it all over again.
And what did it matter if it looked strange that I was by myself and reading in line? None of these people would remember it.
I opened the manuscript and started to read.