9781250209153

“Go run outside,” Danielle says dismissively. She spins away from
Charlotte and turns to our teammates. “All right, start with layups. Split up
so we have rebounders.”
She goes to pass Googy the ball, but Charlotte intercepts it, the ball
hitting her palms with a sharp smack. The energy in the gym changes
instantly. Everyone freezes.
Danielle looks ready to commit murder. “Give me the ball, Charlotte.”
“No, Coach, I don’t think I will,” Charlotte says, guarding the basketball
under her arm.
I want to strangle her. My teammates are seething. Charlotte’s
teammates are smirking, though some of them look uncomfortable.
“What’s going on?” someone interrupts.
There she is. Irene in her element, high ponytail in place, blazing eyes
roaming over the scene. My heart lodges in my throat.
“You’re not needed here, Ireenie,” Charlotte sneers. “This discussion is
for athletes.”
Irene’s eyes sizzle. “Then it’s a good thing we came over, Char.
Because not only are we athletes, we’re also very good at determining who
to root for in these situations.”
The air prickles with tension. Charlotte takes a step forward, basketball
still trapped under her arm. Her focus is entirely on Irene.
“And who is it you’re rooting for?” she asks in a deadly quiet voice. She
turns around and gestures to me. “Your girlfriend?”
My heart beats forebodingly.
“’Cause I heard you’re no longer an item,” Charlotte continues. “At
least, that’s how it looked when I saw Scottie with Tally Gibson at my
boyfriend’s New Year’s Eve party.”
Irene’s jaw twitches almost imperceptibly. Her eyes flicker toward me.
I do everything in my power to stop my body from flushing red, but it’s
no use. My skin is on fire as everyone looks at me. It’s the exact signal
Charlotte needs.
“Wait,” she says in a faux surprised voice. Her mean eyes bore into
mine. “I thought you said you told Irene that you were there with Tally.”
She spins around to Irene. “Didn’t Zajac tell you?”