I run up behind her just as she’s about to reach the steps and wrap my arms around her waist.
“Gotcha,” I say.
She squeals as I tousle her hair.
“You cheated. Your legs are longer.”
“You had a head start.”
She shakes her head, but she’s laughing. “Get inside already. They’re probably wondering where you are.”
We walk into the mostly empty school and make our way to the locker room. Emma waits outside the door.
A couple guys are still in here. Sam is bent over tying his shoe and talking to Leo, but the second the door closes behind me the room falls quiet. They both look up at me with wide eyes.
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Sam whispers.
“It died.”
But before I can say anything else, Coach steps out of his office. His arms are crossed across his chest and his eyes are hardened.“Green, my office now.” Then he gestures to the other two boys. “Get out on the field already.”
“Shouldn’t I get ready too?” I ask.
“You won’t be playing,” he says.
A lump forms in the back of my throat, and my blood runs cold. I know this can only mean one thing. He knows.
My hand shakes at my side as I step forward.
Sam locks eyes with me and mouths, “Are you okay?”
No. I’m not okay. I feel like I’m going to throw up, but I can’t say that. I don’t want to drag him into this. I don’t want him to get in trouble for my choices, so I nod.
I can tell he doesn't believe me, but Leo grabs his arm and they both leave the room.
Coach holds the door to his office wide open, and I step forward.
Mom sits in the far corner.
My heart sinks to my feet, and I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
Her eyes flick toward me for a brief second before she focuses on the wall in front of her.
She can’t even look at me.
“Take as long as you need,” Coach says to my mom before stepping out and closing the door behind him.
This is bad. Really bad.
“How could you?” she says, anger and disappointment laced in every word. “Do you realize how worried I was when the school called?”
My brow furrows. Why would the school call her about me playing baseball? “What do you mean?”
“You can’t be serious.” She pinches the bridge of hernose. “They called me because you stole a test, and when I came in, I not only found out you skipped school, but you’ve been lying to me too.”
I don’t understand what happened. How did the school find out about the test? What about Mallory?
My breath gets caught in my throat. Guilt pulls at me because I know I shouldn’t have done any of it. No matter how badly I wanted to play, I hate hearing the hurt in her voice. “I’m sorry.”
