Carter whispered. He, Nick, and Angelo had been waiting in Nick’s room while Mom and Dad spoke in the kitchen. They’d heard Nick’s dad make several phone calls over the last half hour. But with the door closed, it was impossible to hear what he was saying or who he was saying it to. “The police?” Angelo suggested. “Probably our parents,” Carter said. Nick felt terrible for getting his friends in trouble and he appreciated the fact that they’d both agreed to stick with him. “I’m sorry, guys,” he said. “Don’t be sorry.” Angelo patted him on shoulder. “It was the right thing to do. You were just the only one brave enough to do it.” Carter folded and unfolded an empty package of Chips Ahoy! cookies. “Couldn’t you have waited until after the holidays though? I hate being grounded on vacation.” Nick and Angelo looked at him, and he threw the wrapper toward the trash can, missing by at least a foot. “Okay, that was selfish.” Angelo tapped his pen on a page of his monster notebook, not writing anything.
![Far World- [1] (2008) by J. Scott Savage](/i/cover.jpg)