Faking It

Chapter 13: Playing with Fire, Round 1

"All right, ladies," Coach Patel said, once we'd all huddled up after her whistle. "We're scrimmaging against the boys today."

I was grateful my back was to the boys' bench because my mouth fell open. But I snapped it shut when Audra frowned at me.

Coach Patel continued, "Next weekend is our first away game, and Harcourt Prep is the toughest opponent on our schedule."

"Of course our first game is Harcourt," Audra muttered under her breath. "Fastest bloody strikers in the entire league."

"Forwards, you're going to have to be precise to get around Harcourt's D-line, and our boys are some of the best, so this'll be great practice. Mids, remember your set plays. It's all about keeping possession and tiring them out. D, mind their speed. Keep to the inside and watch for the cross. Starting line-up is on first, and we'll sub out when I say so. All right, hands in."

"Three, two, one, Kingsbridge!" I shouted in unison with the others.

"I was really hoping we'd get a home game this weekend. Harcourt's so far that we're definitely not coming back Saturday night," Audra whined, as I followed her back towards the net, studiously avoiding looking towards the boys. "And I really, really wanted to go to Weatherington's clambake on the beach. Now I'll just have to hear about it from everyone else, and I just know they'll make it sound like the most epic party there ever was."

"Wait, does that mean we're staying in a motel? Like, road-trip style?" I asked, taking up my position.

"A motel?" scoffed Deanna, the dark-haired, olive-skinned senior who played sweeper. "Oh honey, no. Hotel, never motel."

Well then. I couldn't say I wasn't disappointed that my days of road tripping to games in sketchy, dirty, and occasionally creepy motels was over. I probably should've expected as much, especially from a school whose dining hall could rival most restaurants. I didn't dare ask if we'd be taking a regular old yellow school bus for fear of being well and truly scoffed at for assuming as much. Kingsbridge probably had some sort of super luxe coach bus with our name and logo emblazoned on the outside. I'd seen buses like that before and I'd always been wildly envious of teams with enough financial backing to afford one. Given the cost of my tuition, I guess I wouldn't exactly be surprised if one rolled up before our away game. I'd have to work on not looking a total deer in headlights when it happened, too.

At the center of the pitch, the boys' coach, Mr. Farley, blew his whistle, and our conversation died. Our forwards attempted their set play, but the boys were so fast that they were upon the mids before they could even control the ball.

"Oy, watch your boyfriend!" Audra shouted at me, as our left-wing defender chased one of the boys' strikers down the opposite sideline.

When I darted a glance behind me, I cursed.

"What's up, Emdubs." Theo grinned, slowing his sprint to taunt me. "Already telling your friends about us, huh?"

"Shh!" I hissed, hurrying towards him as if I was defending against a cross rather than running over to shut him up. "I haven't told—"

"So how handsy can I get with you?" Theo interrupted. "Like, hands on the waist okay? Or are we on a strict no-touching—"

"Oy!" Audra yelled.

I whirled back around. The ball was sailing towards me in a wild, inaccurate cross.

"I'm gonna need that answer, Emdubs," Theo said, backpedaling away to catch the cross on his chest. He played it down to his feet effortlessly. "Seriously. Don't make me ask louder, because I will. Especially now that I have everyone's attention."