hear Ali tell on her. Ali wanted her to be thrown out of the game. Maybe suspended. Maybe banned from ever playing field hockey again.
Coach groaned. “Ali, some players just talk trash. It’s part of the game. Any game.”
“It was more than talking trash. It was racist.”
“Either way. She was trying to get under your skin and you let her. Look at you right now. You’ve lost all focus.” He gave her a tap on the helmet. Not light. Kind of hard actually. A wake-up call. A slap to the back of the head. “This is the state championship, Ali.”
“Well … can you go say something to her coach?” Ali glanced over at the Oak Knolls bench. And then back at Coach, who was shaking his head at her like she was a tattling child. “I don’t want her doing it again.”
He stared at her hard, unbelieving, disappointed that they were still discussing this. “If I do that, you’ll only be made a bigger target. This is a you problem.”
The ref came over, the whistle held between his clenched teeth. “Everything okay?” His eyes went to Ali. “You okay?”
“I’m going to sub you out,” Coach said, and spun on his heel.
“No.” Ali reached out, grabbed his arm. “I’m … I’ve got this.”
And now, to the girls, Ali concedes with deep regret, “Except I didn’t. I’m sorry.”
“Darlene Maguire is the one who’s going to be sorry.” Mel presses her lips together and lifts her chin. “Ali, I know I speak for the entire team when I promise we will do everything in our power to make sure this never happens to you on our field again.”
The girls nod in agreement. All except for one. Luci. She’s deep in thought, a fist pressed to her lips.
“It’s okay. I’m over it,” Ali tells her. With a sly grin, she adds, “Mostly,” because she knows Luci gets it.
Luci doesn’t acknowledge Ali’s jokey caveat. “I can’t believe Coach would say something like that to you. That it’s a you problem.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I mean, is it any wonder you froze up for Darlene’s second shot? How could you ever get your focus back after that?”
Mel puts a hand on Luci’s back. “I’m sure Coach didn’t understand what was happening at the time.”
“Really?” Luci twists to face Mel. “Because it seems pretty clear-cut. And even if he didn’t, Coach should have had Ali’s back regardless.” To the rest of the girls, she pleads, “I mean … isn’t that what he’s always preaching to us? Team first, always?”
Mel struggles to answer Luci’s charge for a few painfully awkward seconds.
Ali, on the other hand, doesn’t even try. Instead, she lets herself get swept away, imagining an entirely different version of the Darlene Maguire incident. If Coach had shown Ali more support in those moments, would that second goal have gotten past her?
Hell no.
Though it might not have made a difference in how the championship game ultimately shook out, it would have made all the difference to Ali.
“Hold up,” Phoebe says, scanning around the room. “Where’s Grace?”
“Oh my God.” Ali jumps up. She never should have let Grace do this. Never ever ever. She rushes to the bathroom, pounds on the door. “Grace, it’s Ali. Let me in, okay?”
Phoebe and Mel arrive next to her.
“What’s happening?” Phoebe whispers.
Ali says, “She’s dyeing her hair.”
Phoebe jerks her head back. “Now? At four in the morning? Why?”
Ali is livid. She knew it was wrong at the time; she should have been more forceful. She will not make the same mistake now. She turns to face Mel as she answers Phoebe’s question. “Mel told her that Coach didn’t like it.”
“Oh my God, Mel. You didn’t,” Phoebe says.
“Grace asked me. And I didn’t want to lie. But I didn’t tell her to dye it!”
“But you didn’t tell her not to either,” Ali snaps. “All you care about is finishing the thing for Coach tonight. I bet you probably led Grace into feeling like she needed to.”
Mel is incredulous. She puts her hand up to her mouth. “How could you think I’d do that?”
“Because you’d do anything Coach asked.” Ali’s hands go to her hips. She knows the team is watching. But she doesn’t care. She’s so upset for Grace. For Kearson. For herself. So upset at everything. So tired. She’s never once had a fight with one of the girls. But she can’t stop herself, even seeing the flush drain from Mel’s cheeks. “Always so quick to defend him. Always