4
Mr. Dwyer cupped a hand around his mouth. “L.J.—get back here! Now!”
It was no use. Even if L.J. decided to listen to their coach, he probably couldn’t hear Mr. Dwyer yelling over the approaching wind. The coach took a few running steps as if to chase after L.J. before stuttering to a stop. He glanced back and forth between L.J.’s disappearing form and the rest of the students standing by the bus, looking torn over whether he should follow L.J. or stay with the others.
Tyler shook his head. “Idiot.”
Mr. Dwyer’s face reddened as he finally walked back to them. “That’s just great.” He removed his hat and ran his hands through his hair. “He thinks he can outrun the storm.” L.J. looked smaller now that he was even farther away.
“Someone needs to go get him,” Ethan said.
“No one is going to get him.” Mr. Dwyer crossed his arms. “Everyone stays here. It’s important for us all to stay together. Is that clear?”
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group. Sha’relle rolled her eyes.
“None of you have service?” Mr. Dwyer tried again. “Someone try texting him—see if that goes through.”
Ethan typed out a quick message on his phone, watching it for a minute before he finally looked up with a frown and shook his head to the coach. “Still can’t go through.”
“He could get heat exhaustion or come across a rattler or get hurt from running in the dust.” Mr. Dwyer paused. “He could even die out there. What was he thinking?”
Tyler swallowed. His throat was getting dryer the longer they were stuck out there. Everyone usually brought water bottles for the tournament, but his bottle was already half-empty. Did anyone else have water left?
“I say it’s his own fault for being stupid,” José said.
Everyone watched L.J.
Tyler wondered if L.J. might turn around and come back, but he kept getting smaller in the distance.
“Man, why did he have to be so stubborn?” Ethan groaned.
Mr. Dwyer scratched his beard again and rotated his hat in his hands. His face went from red to pink as he calmed down and said, “Let’s hope he comes to his senses.” He took a few more steps down the highway again before stopping himself like he had before. It seemed like he’d finally come to terms with staying put. He climbed back on the bus, followed by the majority of the team.
As soon as his back was turned, a smaller group of students huddled up.
“We can’t just leave him out there,” Ethan said. “He doesn’t have anything with him—all his stuff is still on the bus. He could run into trouble or collapse in the middle of nowhere, with no one to help him.”
“But you heard Mr. Dwyer. He said no else goes,” Daniela said.
“He also said it’s important we stay together,” Ethan said. “So we’ll just send two people together.” He grinned at his own cleverness.
“You’re twisting his words,” Daniela said. “You know that’s not what he meant. I’m staying here.”
“Me too,” Sha’relle said.
“Do we have any volunteers for the mission?” Ethan asked. “Anyone?”
No one else moved for a minute.
A few people glanced back at the dust clouds. Sha’relle chewed her thumbnail. Then Julia reluctantly raised her hand.
“I’ll do it.”
“Great. Thanks, Julia.”
Julia was going!
“I’ll go too,” Tyler said.
“No.” Ethan swatted at him to lower his hand. “You have asthma. You can’t run in this weather.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll go with her,” Sha’relle said with a sigh.
Tyler interrupted. “I have my inhaler and a bottle of water,” he said. “I can do it. I know I can.” Tyler stopped talking and glanced away for a moment. He didn’t want to sound too anxious.
Ethan was thinking.
“Besides,” Tyler added, “I think sending a guy and a girl is a good idea. In case we need to carry L.J. back. No offense, Sha’relle.”
Sha’relle took a step back. “None taken. I’m not lifting him. Go for it.”
Ethan took in a deep breath and then said, “Okay. We’ll need to distract Mr. Dwyer. Some of us will go talk to him, and the rest of us can block his view.” He looked at Tyler and Julia. “When the coast looks clear, get going.”