Page 115 of Stealing for Keeps
“I need team players, not children who can’t control their tempers or remember their priorities.” His dad has the same stubborn set of his jaw. “You fought, you missed curfew and practice. You knew the rules.” He flicks his head to the side. “Take a seat, boys.”
I avoid the stares of my family as I take a seat on the empty bench. Vaughn sits all the way on the other side, and anger radiates between us. We don’t speak as we watch the game.
Ralley is good. Maybe even better than I expected. Their eyes light up when they realize we’re down two players. Not any two players either. Vaughn is an opponent no player wants to go up against, and I’ve been making a big impact that hasn’t gone unnoticed. Their glee seems to give them a burst of confidence and energy.
I feel hopeless as I watch Rowan try to keep the team working together. He fills Vaughn’s shoes, leading them on the field. They do their best, and they’re able to stop them for a while, but after the first breach in defense that leads to a goal, our team starts to look tired.
Vaughn goes up to his dad halfway through the first half, and they exchange a few words. A flicker of hope blooms in my chest, but when he turns back around looking angrier than before, I know his dad hasn’t changed his mind. Vaughn tosses a water bottle along the sidelines, muscles clenching as he balls his hands into fists.
I feel sick to my stomach. The first game my dad comes to watch me play all season and I’m stuck on the bench.
By halftime, I’m convinced I caught whatever flu Claire had. My stomach hurts, and my head aches. I’m so fucking disappointed and frustrated. I should be out there. Ineedto be out there.
The team heads out of the locker room, and I hang back. I let my head fall back against the locker, close my eyes, and let out a long breath.
The squeak of shoes on the floor alerts me that I’m not alone. I open my eyes. Vaughn is still here too. His head isbetween his knees, and his shoulders are tense. As if he can sense me staring at him, he looks up.
“This is all your fault.” He sits straight and then stands.
“How is this my fault? You didn’t have to stay at Claire’s all night. You made that choice. Same as me.”
“Not that.” His face scrunches up. “You heard him out there. He’s pissed that I hit you and that you put our shit before the team.”
“Iput our shit before the team?” I want to laugh at the absurdity. “Every decision I’ve made has been about the team.”
“You knew how I felt about her. Then you lied to my face and pretended to be my friend. And for what? So that I’d help you with soccer? Who does that?”
“I wasn’t pretending. This team is just as important to me as it is to you. My family moved across the country for me. Now they’re watching me sit on the sidelines.” I run a hand through my hair. “I should have told you about me and Claire. I’m sorry about that but not the rest. I like her. I like her a lot, and I’m going to keep seeing her whether you try to take another swing at me or not. If you can’t handle that, then too damn bad.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Claire
I spend the day in bed. Ruby brings me Sprite Zero and Jell-O, and we watch TV together. Mom stopped in only long enough to tell Ruby not to get too close because she has a big dance competition next weekend. She did also ask if I needed anything, but she meant medicine, not the thing I really want, which is for her to dote on me like she used to when I was little.
I don’t know what happened. It’s like once I started winning trophies, I stopped being her daughter and became her employee.
At some point, I fall asleep, and when I wake up, Ruby is gone from my room and the house is quiet.
Lacey stops by after I text to check in and let her know I’m alive. When I answer the door, she hands me a new box of saltine crackers and a two-liter bottle of Sprite. She smiles sadly. “You look like crap.”
“I actually feel better.”
She comes in and goes to the living room, sitting in the big armchair adjacent to the couch. “Well, you might not after I tell you about the game today.”
The ache in my stomach intensifies. “I don’t know if I can handle more bad news.”
“Coach Collins benched Vaughn and Austin today. They lost to Ralley. Four to zip.”
I groan and walk over to the couch, slumping into it and cradling the crackers to my chest. “This is all my fault.”
“And that’s why I wanted to be here when you found out. This is not your fault.”
I open my mouth to protest, but she shakes her head.
“Nope. Uh-uh. Repeat after me. Boys are dumb, and they did this to themselves.”
I don’t repeat it, but it does pull a small laugh from me.
