Trojan Horse

3 - The More You Know

"Where's Jeremy?" Coach Rhemann sighed.

"He's late," Kayla said.

"Noted," Ethan snapped.

"Really?" Minna asked Laila.

Jeremy came bursting through the door. "My flight had a layover!"

"You should've told us," Rhemann scolded him. "Next time."

Jeremy settled beside Minna and flashed her a grin.

She smiled back awkwardly and inwardly noted that they were the same height.

"Now that Jeremy is here, we can start," Rhemann said with a pointed look. "First, our only freshman this year — Minna Day, number three, backliner."

Minna waved. Her mind clung to the faces, names, and positions of her teammates as they went around.

"Summer practices are at eight am. Once the school year starts, we're moving them to six-thirty. We'll meet at the gym — which you all should be able to remember. Mish has the forms for you all to sign. same as always. I need them by the end of tomorrow because you can't play until I have them on file. Remember that!"

"Yes, Coach," all twenty-seven chorused.

Minna stayed silent, though moved her lips without speaking.

"Physicals before you leave. We're going in order of your jersey number! I repeat, the order of your jersey numbers. Got it?"

"Yes, Coach."

"And last order of business today is schedules."

"Already?" Minna murmured. Several teammates echoed it, and Rhemann nodded grimly.

"The ERC is notifying coaches one by one — Coach Wymack was told first, we're second." He hesitated, then said, "Edgar Allen has joined the southeastern district."

Silence.

Minna was the first to react. "No! No, you're joking! This is a sick joke, right?"

She looked around frantically — from her teammates' shocked silence, to Coach Rhemann's grim expression, to Mish's subdued upset.

"Some people will think it's because of Minna and Kevin — so we're going to support you, Minna. Okay?"

Minna swallowed hard. "O-okay."

Jeremy squeezed her hand. "Who knows besides us?"

"The Foxes will find out tomorrow. Everyone else will find out before the season starts."

Minna dug her fingers into her beanbag chair. She fought to control her shuddering breaths but eventually gave up and bolted for the bathroom. She heard footsteps follow her and Laila was by her side after she'd blinked. Minna ignored her and splashed her face with ice cold water. She clenched her jaw against the rising panic and scrabbled for her phone.

"They don't know yet —"

"Jean," Minna interrupted. "I'm calling Jean."

"It will only hurt," Laila warned and pushed her arm down. Minna considered her words and put her phone away, the cold water melting away the fervent panic and bringing her back to reality.

"Kevin knew," Minna blurted. "Wymack must've told him and not me. Fuck, Laila, what do I do?"

"Hold on. We're going to protect you. I swear."

Minna gripped Laila's hand like it was her lifeline. "I really hope you can," she croaked.

Laila nodded. "Come on."