Mark My Words

68 | Position of Power

Practice the following day brought forth a tense, looming anticipation as the clock ticked onwards on Lennie Pittmen's dashboard, nearing nine in the morning.

Rosalie had her eyes on the parking lot, following the signs of Adam girls emerging from their cars and heading in for warm ups. Rosalie had been unable to drag Joanna out of the guest bedroom that morning, which left her alone with Lennie and Ray.

A knock sounded on the opposite backseat door.

Ray shrieked out a curse, and then again, this time with an inflection of relief. She rolled down the window where Dylan Cox ducked down to look at Rosalie, and then to Lennie.

"Where's Spencer? I though she was with Mason," Dylan said.

"She is. Not right now, though," Rosalie said.

Lennie unlocked the back door and gestured for Dylan to enter. When Dylan collapsed in the seat next to Rosalie, the car shook. He left the door open, one foot sticking out, as he leaned over to say, "What're we doin' over here then? Let's go pick Spencer up."

"She's not coming," Rosalie said.

"Why the hell not? We'll get those girls banned from the arena or something, I don't give a shit," Dylan said.

"I've already talked to coach about limiting... spectators," Ray said, eyeing Lennie as she twisted around to meet Dylan's eyes. "She agreed, but that means you two have to quit being helicopter parents."

"I'm here to help Coach Maguire," Lennie insisted.

"Yeah, I'm a helicopter parent," Dylan sighed.

"What does that mean about the Sisters from Kaiserslautern?" Rosalie asked. "They might not be able to spectate practice, but they could be loitering in the parking lot for all we know."

"Then it's settled: I'll keep watch over the parking lot," Dylan suggested.

"Then what do I do?" Lennie said.

"Ask Coach if you could manage?" Ray suggested, but as she tossed out the idea, Rosalie recoiled in disgust. Coach never had management on the team. At Bradshaw and Adams, having students as managers was decidedly more demeaning than simply not making the cut.

But... Lennie wasn't a girl, and he didn't try out for the girls' team.

Lennie seemed to have the same level of resistance to the idea as Rosalie. She saw him grimace, a pout forming on his lips. "I'm not asking her if I could manage the team," he said, testily.

"Come on, dude, at least you'll be in the arena," Dylan said.

Lennie pegged him with a glare before he met Rosalie's eyes. Rosalie shut her mouth, steeling her expression. It wasn't up to her, it was up to Coach Maguire.

At least, that was what she thought.

Lennie agreed to talk to Coach, and so the four of them left the car. Dylan followed them to the foyer of the arena where he stood at the glass doors and promised to keep Lennie posted if he noticed anyone looking suspiciously like the mountain woman from Kaiserslautern.

Rosalie glanced over her shoulder at Dylan, who offered her an encouraging thumbs up. When she turned back, Ray grimaced and said, "Second practice without Spencer. Coach is gonna be pissed."

"It'll be fine. Lu could use the practice," Rosalie said. They couldn't evaluate their chances at Regionals by putting Joanna as the leading factor. Everyone on the team was a variable, and the variables were bound to shift once they were on the field.