“Please?”
“Okay, fine. Just go back to the boys’ locker room before someone sees you. I’ll find you something.”
“Thank you! Have I told you you’re my favorite sister?”
“I’m your only sister.”
“Still.” I grinned. “Also, maybe call Mom and see if she candrop off my spare keys? They’re gone too.”
Cammie lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “Don’t worry, I’ll find you a ride.”
Sorting out a ride wasn’t the same as getting me my keys. My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
She just waved me off and headed back into the girls’ locker room. I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. Cammie rarely went out of her way to help me. But this wasn’t exactly a common scenario.
Slowly and strategically, I started back to the boys’ locker room. Hopefully, now I had Cammie’s help, I could keep this whole thing between just me and her. No one else would ever have to know.
But just as I was nearing safety, the door to the coach’s office opened, and out stepped Coach Foster.
I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t think. I turned and started running in the opposite direction as fast as I could without causing my little pink skirt to fly off.
As I turned a corner, I risked a glance over my shoulder, almost expecting to see Foster stalking after me like the Terminator, silently and relentlessly pursuing with one objective in mind: elimination.
Much to my relief, he hadn’t followed, but in my panic, I hadn’t considered where I was going. And when I finally faced forward again, I skidded to a halt.
I’d found my way to the foyer. And it was full of people. Lining up at the concession stands. Milling around the front desk. Making their way out of the building, while more hovered near the entrance. And every single one of themturned to look at me.
As I stood rooted to the spot, scanning the horrified faces gazing back at me, my eyes found Cammie. And she wasn’t alone.
Reed frowned at me and shook his head. Grayson was standing next to him, his mouth hanging open as he held a chip frozen in place in front of it. He looked like he was questioning what he’d done to deserve a brother like me. Probably not for the first time. Or the last.
I stood tall, lifted my head high, and started toward them, acting every bit like I didn’t care about the countless sets of eyes, and more than a few phones, tracking my every move.
“You couldn’t wait in the locker room for five minutes?” Cammie hissed.
“Me? I thought you were supposed to be finding something for me to wear. How’s that going?”
“We’ve been gone for one week.” Reed had finally shaken off his shock. “Oneweek. Did you lose a bet?”
“He must have,” Grayson agreed.
“Nope, no bet, I just like to keep life interesting.” I grinned, trying to convince myself a cold breeze from the entrance wasn’t getting playful with the back of my scarf.
“He pissed someone off,” Cammie corrected me without missing a beat. “They stole his clothes. I can’t believethisis why I’m going to be late to my meeting. He’s your problem now, Reed. If anyone asks, I’m not related to him.”
“I’ve been telling people that for years,” I replied as she stalked away.
“Something like this was going to happen eventually,” Reed murmured as he rubbed a hand across his creased forehead.
“To be honest, I’m shocked it hasn’t happened before,” Grayson added.
“What are you two even doing here?” I could still feel the eyes of everyone in the foyer on me. The urge to run and hide was pretty strong right now. But, unfortunately, for both me and my onlookers, I had a reputation to uphold. Running and hiding in embarrassment wasn’t something I would do.
“We thought we’d surprise you by coming to your first game,” Reed said.
“Yep,” Grayson continued. “Although, kind of feels like we’re the ones getting the surprise.”
It seemed like they were starting to see the funny side of all this. I was still looking for it myself.
