Ruby (Rue) Mack is on the varsity softball team. She started pitching for all three years of her high school career, and she hasn't struck out at bat once throughout all of her seasons.
When a mysterious note appears at her locker, threatening to b...
"Concentrate, play your game, and don't be afraid to win."
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It's Wednesday. We have today and tomorrow to practice for the game on Friday, and my nervousness has not been so through the roof before.
When I got to my locker, Kali and Victoria were there again, staring at another note written to me.
ONE PERSON'S VENOM IS ANOTHER PERSON'S CURE
The same snake is drawn in the same way as before. As the girls bicker about what it could mean, I just stare at the note. Why would someone do this to me? What's with the messages?
I feel a hand on my shoulder. When I turn my head, Bailee is behind me, trying to get on her tiptoes to see over me.
"What's going on?" Her head moves side to side, trying to read it. She embodies a snake perfectly.
Her eyes grow wide as she reads it. "What does this mean?"
Kali answers her first, as my mouth feels like it's filled with cotton.
"Definitely a threat. She got one yesterday too."
Bailee looks at me. "You didn't think to report this? We have cameras, you know. If we can review the footage, we can see who it is that's doing this."
I examine her. She looks genuinely concerned for me, completely different from the normal Bailee I'm used to. The normal Bailee wouldn't even get involved with anything regarding me, so it's only right for me to be suspicious; but since she seems like the cameras are a good idea, maybe she really doesn't know who it is either. Which also means she isn't involved.
Which puts us back to square one.
I give an exasperated sigh. "Well, since this is our only lead, I guess the cameras are our only option at this point."
The first bell rings, and once again the underclassmen scurry down the hall, leaving me, Breanna, and Bailey in front of my locker.
"So are we going now?" Bailee asks.
Breanna squints her eyes at her. "Why are you so eager to see the footage? Or is there any footage to see?"
"Listen, Brea." Bailee takes a step closer to her. "It doesn't matter what animosity Ruby and I have for each other. We're teammates, and when someone targets one of us, they target the whole team. So unless you have a different way of figuring out who is doing this, then I suggest you go along with the rest of us and watch the tapes."
