People Like Us(39)

“No one.” But it’s a lie. One other person knows what I did. The only person who knows that people called me Katie back home. Spencer Morrow.

It’s impossible to concentrate during the rest of practice. Nola is horrible. She can’t kick, she can’t steal, and she can’t defend. She can run, but by some ridiculous clause of Murphy’s law, she can’t run in the same direction as the ball. And she falls. A lot.

By the end of practice, everyone is pissed at me, except Nola, who by some miraculous brand of self-delusion seems to think she did well. Coach pulls me aside and tells me my judgment is sliding; there is no way we are going to make it to states or that I’m going to win a scholarship with Nola so much as wandering within fifty feet from the field. No one will talk to me because they love Holly Gartner, the alternate I had to bench to add Nola to the roster. Holly sat there in tears the entire time as Nola made an ass out of herself and me, and when I tried to approach her after the practice, she stormed off before I could open my mouth.

If I urge Coach to keep Nola around, my chances at being scouted are shot. I have to close a perfect season. Our biggest games are coming up right after Thanksgiving, and once we crush it, I feel confident I can win a scholarship. But I can’t do it without Holly. Nola has to go. And I have no idea how to tell her.

Maddy watched the entire practice. I caught her glaring at Nola, but she waved at me sympathetically a few times. I wish there weren’t any witnesses to my epic humiliation, but she jogs over afterward and invites me to grab a coffee before dinner. I’m torn. I’m behind on studying and want to open the next revenge-blog clue. But I also want to vent about this disaster of a practice, and it would be a major relief to focus on something mundane for once.

“Sure,” I say.

“Yay. Are we going to that cute cat place?”

Maddy shoots an annoyed look over my shoulder. I hadn’t seen Nola standing there. I sigh. So much for venting.



* * *



? ? ?

WE SIT AWKWARDLY around a small table—Nola with her tea and Maddy and I with coffees—and make small talk until Nola goes to the bathroom.

Maddy bangs her head against the table. “Oh my God, she is so weird.”

“We’re friends.”

Maddy blushes. “Sorry. I figured you were just sleeping together.”

“I see.” I take a sip of my coffee. “You’re not here to dole out sympathy. You’re here for gossip.”

“No.” She sighs into her hand and lowers her eyes. “I wanted to see how you were doing. Everything’s been so bizarre lately. First Jessica turning up dead, then Tai and Tricia dropping out. Neither of them will return my texts. But people seem to think—”

“Yeah. Kay ruins the world.”

She shakes her head emphatically. “Bates isn’t the world, and you didn’t ruin it.” She plays with the ends of her silky scarf, running it over the smooth tabletop. “Have you talked to Spencer lately?”

I sigh. “Depends on what you mean by talk.”

“Are you getting back together?”

“Definitely not.”

She chews on a strand of hair for a moment and then smooths it out. “It just seems like you’ve been having a kind of tough time, and I wanted to let you know, I’m here. If you want to talk.”

I eye her suspiciously. “Or I could just tweet it.”

She stands up. “Point taken.”

“Hey.” I grab her hand and pull her back. Her eyes are filled with tears and I’m shocked into silence.

“I just meant, I know how it feels to be shut out.”

“When did we ever shut you out?”

She shrugs. “No one ever tells me anything. And it’s more than that. Sometimes you can be in the middle of everything and still be completely alone. I’m just saying, call me if you need to.”

I stand and hug her hard. “You call me. I never sleep. Ever. Rest is once upon a time for me. And if you want me to talk to the others about the stupid Notorious R.B.G. thing, consider it done.”

Maddy looks startled for a second. “What would you say?”

“I don’t know. Maddy’s smart, but she’s no Ruth Bader Ginsburg?”

She laughs and wipes the tears away. “I’m fine. You call me.”

I nod. “Of course.”

Her phone vibrates and she looks down at it. “I should run before your girlfriend comes bouncing back.”

“She has energy,” I manage. “Not so much control.”

“Bench her.” Maddy twists her scarf back around her neck. “Bring Holly back. If Nola’s a friend, she’ll understand. She sucks. You don’t even have to tell her it’s your decision. It’s okay to put yourself first. Just don’t let her find out.”

“I promised her.”

“Well, everything breaks. Bones, hearts. Better a promise than an undefeated record.” She gives me a meaningful look and then one more hug before disappearing out the door.

When Nola comes back from the bathroom, though, I can’t bring myself to say anything. Not yet, anyway. I need her too much.



* * *



? ? ?

I MANAGE TO successfully avoid Brie the rest of the week despite a constant barrage of texts, throwing myself into studying and soccer and eating with Nola. I can’t get two things out of my head: the fact that Brie set up Spencer and Jessica, and the fact that Detective Morgan might know about my past history with the police.