warm-up shots from the Keaton team. Isla charged and took a fierce shot, aiming right for Raven’s chest. Raven deflected. Devon smiled. Good for her. Isla scooped up another ball and launched another shot over her shoulder. This one whizzed toward Raven in a blur with a splat! as it ricocheted off Raven’s chest plate.
“Ease up. It’s just a practice run,” Raven yelled. She rubbed at her padding; she was probably going to have a bruise from that shot. Isla didn’t hear her, or maybe she didn’t care. She lobbed another ball toward Raven’s shoulder. Raven managed to deflect again, but hobbled back. With a scream, Isla suddenly threw down her stick and charged. Devon’s jaw fell open. She could only stare, too shocked to react, as Isla tackled Raven to the ground. She ripped off Raven’s goalie mask.
“You stupid whore! I know it was you. I know it was you,” Isla growled. She slapped at Raven, pulled her hair, while Raven squirmed under her pinned to the ground.
“Isla, stop!” Devon finally came to her senses and dashed across the field. Luckily Maya swooped in and pulled Isla off Raven. Isla tried to push past her to tackle Raven again, but Maya held her back. Devon skidded to a stop just as Maya slapped Isla and pulled her close by her lacrosse shirt. “You leave her alone, Isla. It wasn’t her. Do you hear me? It wasn’t her.”
Isla took a few steps away. She glanced around, breathing heavily, her face flushed. Everyone stared at her. She looked back at Maya, confused, like she had suddenly landed in this spot, unaware of the last minute everyone else experienced. Maya repeated quietly, so only Devon and Isla could hear. “It wasn’t her, Isla.”
Devon stepped in. “Let’s get you to the Health Center, huh?” She reached a hand out to Isla, but Isla turned around and bolted—vanishing into the woods on the other side of the parking lot.
Mrs. Freeman walked Raven toward the team bench. “We still got a game, ladies,” she called, but even she sounded shaken. “Let’s get ready.”
Devon noticed Raven’s goalie pads were askew, strands of black hair stuck out of her ponytail, a red blotch was turning into a welt on her cheek. She turned back to Maya. “How did you know what she was talking about?”
“We both know it wasn’t Raven, don’t we?” Maya whispered. She brushed past Devon to the bench where Mrs. Freeman was gathering the team into a huddle. But Devon couldn’t move. We both know it wasn’t Raven.
CHAPTER 15
Sept. 10, 2010
Freshman Year
The cookie sailed past the metal coffee can and sent crumbs skidding across the floor.
“Take a sip,” Hutch said.
Devon held up her nearly empty glass of milk. “I can’t. So full.” Her eyelids were getting heavy; even the cold cement floor was starting to look like a comfortable bed.
“Better start making some shots then,” Hutch smiled at her and launched a piece of cookie into the canister. “Swish!” he said, arms raised to the ceiling, cheering his victory. “You’re not falling asleep on me, are you, Mackintosh?”
“No, not at all.” She tried to stifle a yawn. “Okay, maybe a little. What time is it?”
Hutch looked at his watch. “One twenty-seven in the morning.” He squeezed his eyes shut and then blinked several times. “We’ve been in here for what? Almost three hours.”
“They’re never going to find us. We’re going to be in so much trouble.” Devon couldn’t get through the sentence without yawning again. Her fatigue had become more overpowering than any fear about getting caught. She curled up on the floor, tucking her arm under her head as a makeshift pillow and allowed her eyes to close. “We should just give up and sleep here.”
“Here, use this,” Hutch said. He lay down behind her and shoved a paper towel roll under her head.
“Thanks.”
“You warm enough?” Hutch asked.
Even half-asleep Devon could tell this was a flirtatious hint. She smiled and opened one eye. “Why, you gonna keep me warm?”
“Only if you want me to.” Devon could hear the smile in his voice.
“Yeah, I want you to. But bring your own paper towel roll.” Hutch crawled across the floor toward her. Devon felt him wrap an arm around her waist; he pulled her close to him. She relaxed into his grasp, feeling his knobby knees behind her calves, his chest inhaling and exhaling, and his breath on the back of her head.