Millionaires for the Month: Chapters 1–14

"Stop. We shouldn’t. It’s stealing.” Felix came up behind Benji. The kid made a great tail—like, FBI-level surveillance great.

"It’s borrowing. Not stealing,” Benji said through gritted teeth. "I’ll pay it back. And I’m starving. A boy’s gotta eat.”

"You promise not to take that paper out?” Benji asked.
"Yeah, kid.”
Benji had no choice but to believe him. And to dream about the inevitable reward.

Rationally, he didn't expect to actually find a murderer or kidnapper behind the shower curtain.

A whistle blew, and Felix took a last swig of water before running back to the court. In the second half, Felix scored eight points, all on fast breaks, and had a couple of assists.

As he left the gym, someone stepped on the back of his sneaker, making him trip and fly into the hallway. Instinctively, he threw out his arms to break his fall, and the fingers on his left hand bent backward.

Sometimes a dull class just required an impromptu sing-along.

“Laura is very thankful that you returned her wallet. She is impressed by your kindness and civility.” Tracey focused on Felix and then Benji. “As a way of showing her gratitude, she is giving each of you a twenty-thousand-dollar college scholarship.”

“Laura is very thankful that you returned her wallet. She is impressed by your kindness and civility.” Tracey focused on Felix and then Benji. "As a way of showing her gratitude, she is giving each of you a twenty-thousand-dollar college scholarship.”

“Laura will make a short speech,” Tracey answered. “Then she will hand you each your scholarship check. We had large cardboard checks made. We thought they'd be fun keepsakes.”

"Cheers.” His mom raised her glass. "To my upstanding citizen and to your jackpot. You’re a good kid, Felix. You deserve this.”

"We’d have to look into it, but we could probably get the deed in your name. It would be like an investment.”
He cringed at the word investment.

“Good morning, I'm Roger McDowell, Laura Friendly's personal attorney." Then he motioned to the other man. “And this is Leonard Trulz, an accountant for this endeavor. We have a lot of paperwork to get through, so let's begin. The money's been placed in an account here at the bank in the names of Felix Heathcliff Rannells, Benji Augustine Porter, and Laura Marie Friendly."

Mr. McDowell let out a noisy breath before zeroing his dark eyes on Benji and then Felix. “Boys, you understand you aren't simply receiving this money without stipulations. Correct?”

Felix hadn’t seen the dog run into the road, but he spotted him in a Waffle House parking lot now. A scrawny gray-brown thing with long matted fur.

Felix hadn’t seen the dog run into the road, but he spotted him in a Waffle House parking lot now. A scrawny gray-brown thing with long matted fur.

The mongrel jumped into Benji’s lap, and Benji shoved him off. He imagined the fleas and ticks crawling from the dog onto him, and it made him itchy.

Benji beamed as he looked around the cafeteria. His free pizza lunch was a success. Students smiled and laughed. Teachers chatted and didn’t care about the noise level for a change. Every slice spread happiness and joy. Maybe his pizza initiative would wipe out bullying and homework at Stirling Middle School.

While Felix contemplated having fun, Benji pulled off his sweatshirt and his joggers. Then he jumped into the pool quickly so he wouldn't be standing on the deck in his boxer shorts. Benji didn't dive. It was one of the few rules he obeyed.

“How old are you?” Felix's mom asked.
“Twenty-two, ma’am. I'm a student at the University at Albany. Chauffeuring and dog-sitting are not my long-term aspirations.”

"Welcome to Downtown Do—” Georgie gave Felix a sideways glare. "Shouldn’t you be in school?” She’d always straddled the line between sister and second mother.

“I don’t care about philosophy.” Benji put his hands over his eyes and pressed hard. “I care about making the team.”
“Felix cannot tell you if you’ll make the team. An assertion can only be true or false in the past or present. Anything in the future is technically indeterminate.”

“Opinions have little to do with truth,” Reggie said. “They rely on our experiences and ingrained biases.”

“Opinions have little to do with truth,” Reggie said. “They rely on our experiences and ingrained biases.”

Benji tossed the shirts to Felix. Then he moved from rack to rack, grabbing any extra-small items for Felix and larges for himself: hoodies, sweatpants, tanks, T-shirts in every style and every color. A few employees crept around, watching their shopping spree. Benji gave Mike a cheesy smile when he caught him snapping pictures.