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“For three days?”
“You say that now.” Marion shut her door with her hip. “Wait until halftime.”
I’d dressed simply because anything more complicated felt ridiculous for metal bleachers in September heat.
Frayed cut-off jean shorts. A faded gray Travis High shirt with the sleeves cut off. White sneakers. Small gold hoops that had belonged to Mom until I quietly annexed them.
My hair was half up. That had been the plan, anyway. Texas humidity had already started dismantling it.
I’d left the bruises uncovered. I’d considered sleeves. Then I’d gotten irritated at the idea. They were bruises. I hadn’t done anything shameful to get them.
Sadie was waiting beside the ticket entrance.
Of course she was not wearing school colors.
She had on a short black dress, battered boots and silver hoops. Her hair was clipped loosely off her neck, a few pieces already escaping around her face.
She’d dressed up because she felt like dressing up. That was Sadie.
Sunshine smiled when she saw her. “No school spirit?”
Sadie looked down at herself. “My loyalty is emotional, not chromatic.”
Marion laughed. “I’m putting that on a shirt.”
“Not in school colors, please.” Sadie fell into step beside me.
Her gaze dropped to my arms. “How do they feel?” she asked.
“Fine.”
She gave me a look.
“Actually.”
“Good.” That was all. Also appreciated.
We joined the crowd moving toward the gate. Smoke from the concession grills mixed with hot pavement and fresh-cut grass.
Everybody seemed to know everybody. They probably did.
Briar was big enough to pretend it wasn’t small and small enough to punish anyone who believed it.
Mom stopped three times before we reached our section. Once for someone from the flower shop. Once for a couple whose names I should have known. Once because somebody wanted to tell Marion how well Clayton had played the week before.
Marion accepted the compliment as though she had personally thrown every pass.
“I made him,” she said sweetly.
The man laughed.
Sunshine hooked her arm through Marion’s and pulled her along before she could elaborate.
Our families had approximately the same effect on public spaces as weather.
People adjusted around us.
Dad and Riot had already claimed a section halfway up the home stands.
