Page 12 of The Penalty

I’m at such a loss I don’t say anything at all.

“Feel bad don’t you,” Teddy finally says.

“I really don’t.”

He narrows his eyes and crosses his arms. Have I pissed him off?

“What should I say?”

“They prefer snow people.”

“You know they aren’t real, right?” Is this a prank he’s playing because I didn’t go to Summerset?

“First it’s a slur and now you’re denying the reality of them? Wow.”

“I can’t believe we’re actually arguing about this.” And I can’t tell if he really thinks snow people are real. I know he’s not the smartest but this is wild.

Am I actually calling them snow people? What the fuck is wrong with me?

“I can’t believe you got mad at me for getting my team off your back.”

I balk. “What, you think I can’t handle my own shit?”

“I never said that.” He looks offended.

“You didn’t have to. Your guy came after me and you stopped him.”

“They were double teaming you!” Teddy says under his breath.

“Maybe I wanted to be double teamed,” I say, using his own shock strategy against him.

His mouth drops open in surprise, but his expression quickly morphs to anger. He opens his mouth but doesn’t have time to retort because Tobi walks up in a Gods jersey, interrupting the argument.

“Traitor!”

“I’m supporting my best friend. Relax, neanderthal, it’s not that serious.”

Teddy looks between me and Tobi. “Oh sure, snow people aren’t real, but cavemen are?”

“What the fuck are snow people?” Tobi asks.

“You don’t want to know,” I mutter.

The rest of the Gods team start filing out and basically kick Teddy out of the hallway to be with his own team. I want to follow him, but I’m dragged out to drink with the team to celebrate our win.

FIVE

TEDDY

Ican’t get the image of Tobi in silver and blue out of my head. Where’s the family loyalty?

Why do I even care? Not like we’ve ever been close. He’s only two years younger than me, but I’m pretty sure he hates me. I don’t know why, though. Did he want to play sports and was told no? He’s smart as fuck. He bonds with Mom and Dad over science shit that I will never understand. If anyone has something to be jealous about, it’s me!

I sigh and lean on the bar. I should be bonding with the boys, not being a negative Nancy. We’re at one of three bars that are so close they’re basically on campus. This one the hockey team claimed, so the football players fuck off.

“Hey, Tendy,” Porter calls my nickname and I turn on my stool.

“Yeah?”

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