Broken Beautiful Hearts(59)

“Could this get any more embarrassing?” Grace shields her face and looks in the opposite direction, avoiding April.

“So that’s how it’s gonna be?” Titan asks the Twins. “You’re backing him up?”

Owen rolls his shoulders and subtly shifts his weight onto the balls of his feet, adopting a defensive stance. It’s the opposite of what Reed would do in this situation—strike first, but go easy. Give the other guy a false sense of security and then attack.

The aisle that separates Owen and Titan seems dangerously narrow.

“Nobody is backing up anyone,” Cam says, walking toward Titan. “We’re trying to make sure you don’t get benched on Friday night.”

“That’s not how it looks from here,” Titan fires back.

Owen widens his stance. “Listen to Cameron. We both know I don’t need anyone to back me up in a fight, especially not against you.”

“Shit.” Cam lunges for Titan, but he isn’t fast enough and Titan slips past him.

In a blur of movements, Titan and Owen are within arm’s reach of each other—Titan’s hands clenched into fists and eyes full of rage, and Owen’s expression calm and calculating.

Cam wedges himself between them, and Christian uses his chair as a step and jumps over the table to help.

“You should sit,” Grace says. “If they start throwing each other around, it will feel like an earthquake.”

I take her advice.

“Get outta my way, Cameron, or I’ll lay you out,” Titan warns.

Christian comes up beside Cam, and the Twins stand next to each other.

“Take it easy, Big Man, or all three of our asses will be watching the game from the sidelines.” Christian’s voice drops. “But if you threaten my brother again, you’ll be watching it from a hospital bed.”

“I’ve got this, Christian.” Owen hasn’t taken his eyes off Titan.

“You think so?” Titan points at Owen over Christian’s shoulder. “That kung fu bullshit won’t help you when I’m pounding your head into the ground.”

“I’m right here.” Owen opens his arms.

“Carters! Wallhauser!” A voice thunders through the cafeteria.

A short man about my uncle’s age with blotchy skin and patchy muttonchops along his jaw marches toward us. Dressed in track pants, a white polo, and a Warriors zippered jacket, he has football coach written all over him.

He points at the Twins. “Step back unless you two want to play ball for a community college next year!”

The other football players at tables nearby sit up straighter. When the Twins and Titan don’t move, the coach points at them and explodes. “Did I stutter? Move your tails or clean out your gym lockers.”

The Twins snap to attention and back up.

“Sorry, Coach,” Christian mumbles.

Dylan says something to his friends and laughs.

“You think this is funny, Mr. Rollins?” Coach demands, red-faced and angry. “Does Coach Graff know he’s got a comedian on the basketball team? Should I get him in here so he can see how goddamn hilarious you are?”

Coach turns to April’s table and points at one of the cheerleaders. “Natalie. Go to the gym and tell Coach Graff that I’ve got something he oughta see.”

“Why did he have to pick her?” Tucker says under his breath.

Natalie reluctantly gets up from the table, her cheeks growing pinker by the second.

Dylan’s face pales. “I don’t think I’m funny, sir. Not even a little. I’m the opposite of funny.” His eyes dart to Natalie, who is almost at the cafeteria door. “Please don’t bring Coach Graff down here, sir.”

Coach makes Dylan sweat it out for a second then calls out, “Natalie? Come on back and sit down.”

Natalie looks relieved and rushes back to her seat.

“Take a walk, Rollins. Before I change my mind.” Coach dismisses Dylan with a wave and eyes Titan and the Twins.

“Sorry, Coach,” Cam mumbles.

Coach marches up to Cameron. “Sorry is for sissies and second-rate players. You play football for the Warriors. State champions four years running, with the highest recruitment rate to Division One colleges in Tennessee.” He turns to Christian. “You want to show off for the girls? You can do push-ups on the field this afternoon for the first half of practice. Invite all the girls to watch.”

“Yes, sir.” Christian stares at the floor.

Tucker scrambles past me, carrying his skateboard, and runs up to the football coach. “I saw the whole thing, sir. Titan started it.”

Coach examines Tucker and his fauxhawk. “Good lord, son. What happened to your head? Did some older boys get ahold of you?”

“No, sir.” Tucker runs his hand over the short strip of hair on his scalp. “It’s my haircut.”

“You did that to yourself on purpose?” Coach shakes his head. “Where’s your visitor’s pass?”

“Um … I’m not a visitor. I go to school here, sir. I’m a freshman.”

“Why haven’t I seen you before?”

Does he think Tucker broke into the Black Water cafeteria to sample the epic mac and cheese?

“He doesn’t take gym.” Owen pushes his way past the Twins and stands next to Tucker.