37

Won’t it bug you at all to see GRRLS cheering on the group they’ve sworn to bring down?” I ask Abby as we approach the bleachers.

She doesn’t say a word, just smiles enigmatically.

We’re arriving late so we won’t have to sit through too much of the game, but Abby actually seems quite excited to be here. As we round the edge of the bleachers, I look up and see that the score is already 5-1. Oh well, no surprise there.

“Pretty shocking, huh?” says Abby, pointing at the scoreboard.

I look again and realize that we’re down 5-1. Okay, that’s shocking. And fantastic.

Brookbank is fielding, and they’re arguing with one another, spewing obscenities like they’re codes for defensive plays. Brandon flips Ryan the bird, and Ryan reciprocates, and I have a warm and fuzzy feeling about what I’m witnessing.

The opposing batter steps up and drives a routine ground ball straight at Brandon. He bends down and … bobbles it, and suddenly another runner has scored: 6-1.

A cheer erupts in deafening stereo and I look down toward the dugouts, where the opposition cheerleaders have been joined by Brookbank’s own. Beside me, Abby laughs and gives her friends an appreciative whoop.

“What?” she says, as she senses me staring at her. “You didn’t really think they’d cheer for our team, did you?”

“But what about the stuff Jefferies said?”

“Fine print’s a bitch, ain’t it? He told them they had to attend this game, wear the Brookbank outfits, and cheer loudly. I’d say they’re doing all of those things. Wouldn’t you?”

It’s pure genius. All of the cheerleaders sport ear-to-ear grins as they applaud each miscue by Brookbank’s team, and Jefferies has the good sense to stay out of their way as long as the TV cameras are rolling. Even Paige looks flushed with excitement—she edges her way to the front of the group and performs a sexy belly dance for the camera long after everyone else has stopped cheering.

I glance down at the Brookbank dugout and see Spud. I figure he can’t be impressed by Ryan’s pitching tonight, but then he looks over his shoulder and winks at me. Although this is his team, I think he’s secretly thrilled to see what’s happening. While he’s distracted, Taylor dashes over and gives him a quick kiss. Zach notices and yells an obscenity from first base that’s caught on camera, so Jefferies demands that the coach take him out of the game. Then Brandon mouths off at the coach for removing Zach, so he gets benched as well.

It’s still only the fourth inning, but for the first time in my life I’ll willingly stay until the end of the game. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.

Brookbank loses 13-2.

Morgan insists that we join the cheerleaders at IHOP, so Abby and I crush together on the passenger seat of Morgan’s Miata. I have a boner almost the whole way, but Abby either doesn’t notice or prefers to ignore it. Can’t say I blame her, really.

At IHOP, eight of us cram into a four-person booth. There’s a lot of girl-bonding stuff going on, but girl-bonding stuff is kind of hot, so I don’t mind being sandwiched in the middle of it all.

It’s not clear if anyone really wants to eat, but a waitress appears expectantly beside the booth and immediately stares at me. For a moment I’m confused, but then it all comes flooding back.

“Um, hello, Keira,” I say.

Now everyone’s looking at me weirdly, and I can’t even make a hasty exit to the men’s room because I’m squeezed in. Keira remains silent. I have a bad feeling about this.

“So Keira,” I gulp, “I’m really sorry about what happened the last time I was here—”

Keira shakes her head. “S’okay. You don’t need to apologize. I know you tried not to order anything. I really appreciated it.”

“Anyone else wondering what’s going on here?” Taylor asks.

Keira sighs. “Oh, a while back this guy came in with my ex, Ryan. And Ryan made me buy food for him and his friends. And they ordered a ton of stuff. All except this guy.” She nods in my direction.

“Aw, Kevin really is Brookbank’s very own Renaissance man,” declares Morgan, which sounds especially good when there are six other girls to hear her say it.

We’ve barely finished placing our order when Keira glances toward the door and steps back skittishly. She thrusts her order pad into the pocket of her apron and rushes off toward the kitchen.

“What was all that ab—” begins Kayla, but then Brandon and the rest of the baseball team are standing in Keira’s place.

“Hello, Mopsely,” spits Brandon.

For a few seconds he simply stands there, shifting his weight from foot to foot. I’m trying to think of something to say when suddenly he sprawls across the table, grabs my T-shirt, and punches me in the nose. It hurts like hell.

Abby jumps up. “Get away from him, Brandon.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot … You’re his ugly bitch, right?”

I wait for Abby to hit him, but she doesn’t. She just laughs. “Um, let me get this straight … You just lost the city championship, and your own cheerleaders chose to support the opposition, but you still reckon you have the right to call me an ‘ugly bitch’? Don’t you realize that right now you’re the biggest loser in school history? And that’s a truly monumental achievement. So pardon me if I say that being called a bitch by you doesn’t exactly mean too much.”

Brandon’s gearing up for another insult when Keira reemerges with the rest of the wait staff and a few knife-wielding chefs.

“That’s him,” she says, pointing at Ryan. “That’s the guy who made me give him free stuff. And he … he never even liked me that much,” she sniffles.

An elderly guy steps forward and prods Ryan in the chest. “Son, you and your buddies best get the hell out of my restaurant. And don’t never come back, you hear me?”

“Or what?” snorts Brandon.

“Or I guarantee that everything you order will contain a few extra magic ingredients you never even asked for.”

Ryan’s already edging toward the door. Reluctantly, the rest of the team joins him.

“So long, losers,” shouts Brandon.

We watch him leave and then erupt in laughter.

“Your nose is bleeding, Kev,” says Abby, looking concerned.

Taylor takes a peek. “Oh, I’ve got something to stop that.” She rummages around in her bag and pulls out a white cotton plug. “Just stay still.”

There’s total silence as Taylor leans toward me and delicately pushes the plug up my nose. Then everyone relaxes again, giggling once more about Brandon’s recent proclamations.

And even though everyone’s staring at me, I laugh too, because Brandon really is the stupidest person I’ve ever met.