Page 42 of Sunshine

“Probably stuffing their faces with carbs,” Heidi says. Gus Romano gave the football team access to Mustang’s Pizza for the evening, closing the doors to the public to allow the boys the room to spread out and eat while the coaches run through plays.

“I wonder if they like my lemon-frosted bundt cake,” Hoa ponders.

David turns to look at her. “You baked them a cake?”

“I bakedWellsa cake,” she corrects. “And he said he’d bring it to their dinner tonight.”

“Wells Bennett is so hot,” Lizzie remarks.

A smile grows on Hoa’s face. “It’s like,criminalhow hot he is.”

“I heard he hooked up with Stassi under the bleachers during lunch before she started dating Ethan,” Heidi announces.

“Scandalous.” David rolls his eyes.

“Stassi said she saw you at his house,” Heidi says, looking at me.

And just like that, everyone’s attention is back on me. “Uh, yeah. She was there the first time Jason brought me.”

“Thefirsttime?” Hoa asks. “So you’ve been there more than once?”

I shrug. “Yeah, a few times.”

“What’s it like?” Lizzie asks. “Is Bud Bennett as mean and crazy as everyone says?”

I don’t think I like where this conversation is going, but something tells me David isn’t going to save me from this one. He’s looking at me with just as much interest as the rest of them. “I haven’t seen him,” I say. “But his mom is nice.”

“Do you think Rhett really burned down the gazebo?” Regan asks, and I fight the urge to throw a cookie at her for participating in this nonsense.

Heidi huffs out a laugh. “Definitely. I heard it from Nosy Maeve herself.”

“Yeah, but do you think Maevereallyknows?” Lizzie asks.

Heidi shrugs. “Maeve knows everything.”

I think about the way Rhett called out the new gazebo at the pep rally, like he was goading Wells about it. I have to admit, it does seem likely he had something to do with the fire.

“I’m tired,” I announce as I gather the Tupperware and lid from the floor. “I think I’m going to try and get some sleep.”

Regan scrambles to her feet from the corner. “Me too!” she says, following me to the den where makeshift beds have been constructed by Hoa’s mom. I hear David say he’s going to head out—Hoa’s mom would never let a boy sleep over, cheerleader or not—and hope I didn’t just prematurely end the night for everyone else. But it doesn’t feel right to sit there and listen aseveryone speculates about Wells’s family—not when he’s starting to feel like a real friend.

Regan and I tuck ourselves into the two farthest beds. “Night,” I say, and turn onto my side to face the wall, feeling a desperate need for a little space to wind down before I can fall asleep.

“Night, Layla,” Regan says back, shuffling under her blankets next to me.

It doesn’t take longto realize the Mayfield Matadors will be taking home the state championship today.

From the first snap, Jason’s obvious nerves take hold, and he doesn’t even complete a pass until the end of the first quarter after Mayfield has already scored twice. The second quarter goes by in a blur, and by the end of the third, we’re down 28-0.

I silently pray that Coach Andersen pulls Jason from the game to give the boys a chance to catch up, but I know how wrecked Jason would be to lose the opportunity to turn things around himself. Still, it’s excruciating to watch him botch play after play as the pressure of it all wreaks havoc over what we all know is natural talent.

The entire town showed up for this with the help of the spirit committee’s work organizing rideshares. Old man Gerry is even dressed up in the Mustang mascot after reasoning that he’d likely die before he ever had another opportunity. Our side of the stadium is quiet while the other side roars with applause, and the effect is devastating.

“This is a bust, huh?” David murmurs from where he’spositioned next to me. The squad hasn’t given up cheering, but it’s getting harder and harder to find anything to cheer for.

“We could still turn it around,” I say.

He looks at me. “Layla, they’re ahead by four touchdowns and there’s less than eight minutes on the clock. There’s no way we’re coming back from this.” He settles his focus back to the field, and my shoulders slump. “At this point, all we can do is hope we getsomethingon the scoreboard so it’s not a complete shutout.”

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