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The coach’s whistle shrieked, and Tori’s attention shifted to the girls on the court. Alice had fallen. Two of her teammates helped her up. Shewalked as if she’d twisted her ankle. The game resumed as soon as Alice had hobbled over to sit on the floor next to Tori.
Great.
Alice rubbed her ankle and winced.
“You okay?” Tori found herself asking in spite of her intention not to say a word. Her mom had warned her to stay away from Alice.
Funny thing, since Brendal’s fall Alice had suddenly turned into like the most popular girl in school. Tori didn’t want to hate anyone, but right now she hated Alice. Maybe she even hated Sarah.
“It’s nothing,” Alice said. She hugged her knees to her chest. “I don’t like this class. It’s so boring and pointless.”
This was one thing they could agree on.
When Tori said nothing, Alice turned to her. “Are you okay?”
Tori shrugged. “Cramps.”
“I thought maybe you were upset about Sarah.” She stared forward then as if she hadn’t dropped a bomb.
“She’s probably just not feeling well,” Tori said. Sarah almost never missed school. She had to be really sick to be absent. Twice this morning Tori had started a text to her and then deleted the words. Sarah hadn’t sent her a text. Hadn’t called. Hadn’t talked to her at school.
Why should Tori be the one to reach out?
“She had to be interviewed by the police again,” Alice said. “She told me yesterday. She was really worried.”
Tori made a face. “She didn’t tell me.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Tori stared at Alice’s profile. “What does that mean?”
“She told me she was going to tell the police the truth.”
Dread swelled in Tori’s stomach. “What truth?”
“That you were the one who pushed Brendal.”
“What?” Tori hadn’t meant to shout the word. Several girls in the game glanced their way, as did the coach.
“I told you,” Alice said in a sharp whisper. “Sarah believes it was you.”
Tori wasn’t listening to this again. “Just stop.” She scrambled to her feet. “You’re making that up. Sarah is my best friend, not yours.”
Alice stared up at her as if Tori had slapped her. Tears burned Tori’s eyes, but she refused to let anyone else see them. She stormed to the dressing room. As quickly as she could, she stripped off her gym clothes and tugged on her jeans and sweater, then her shoes. She was going home. She would just call Aunt Diana and ask her to pick her up. Tori couldn’t take this anymore.
“Tori.”
She shut her gym clothes into her locker and turned around slowly. “Yes, ma’am?”
Coach Lawrence stood just inside the door, her hands on her hips. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry,” Tori said, unable to hold back the new wave of tears. “I think I just need to go home.”
“I understand this is a difficult time for you,” Lawrence said. “Why don’t you go on to Mrs.Leary’s office and talk to her? I’d feel better if you did that first.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Tori grabbed her backpack and headed to the counselor’s office.
Even the few students she passed in the hall stared at her as if she were some sort of freak. She just wanted to run away. To hide. To disappear.
