CHAPTER 5
Whistles blew. Stan shouted from the observation area, “Foul! Foul!”
Max could hardly hear it. The bang of the paintball against his helmet had left a ringing in his head. “Ow,” he said.
Jace came running across the field toward them. “Alex!” he shouted. “The rules require a minimum marking distance of fifteen feet. You could have really hurt Max.”
“Oh, sorry,” Alex said with a smirk. He didn’t sound sorry at all. “I’m used to rules at a different arena. I didn’t know there were special rules for Maximum Dork.”
“Get off the field,” Jace said. “You’re on the bench the rest of the day.”
Alex just laughed as he headed off the field. Jace knelt down beside Max.
“Are you okay?” he said.
“I think so,” Max said. His hearing was starting to come back.
“Well, that was an illegal mark, obviously,” Jace said. “So if you’re feeling okay, you can stay in the match.”
“I’m fine,” Max insisted.
“So, I’m guessing you and Alex didn’t meet for the first time today,” Jace said.
Max shrugged. “He’s in my class at school,” he said.
“Does he pick on you a lot?” Jace asked, looking concerned. “Do you want to talk?”
“No,” Max said quickly.
“Well, I’ll be keeping an eye on him,” Jace said. Finally, he stood up and headed back to the observation area.
I wish he’d back off, Max thought. I don’t need him to make me look like more of a baby.
Max got to his feet and took a deep breath. He didn’t even take cover as play started again. He just ran into the middle of the field, shooting off paintballs like crazy and marking members of the red team.
When the scrimmage time was over, Max was still on the field, red-faced and breathing hard.
“Good work out there,” Owen said as Max came off the field.
But Max hardly heard him. He was too busy watching Alex and his bully friends cackling as they turned in their gear. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could guess. They were laughing at him.
How dare they laugh at me! Max thought furiously. I probably got the most eliminations all day. I was on the field the longest.
Max stomped up to the counter to turn in his gear as Alex and his friends headed toward the exit.
Jerks. I’ll teach them, Max thought.
Just then, someone tapped Max on the shoulder. He spun around, his face red and his hands balled into fists. “What?!” he yelled.
It was Owen. “Um, you okay?” he said, looking startled. “Jace and I have been calling your name for like five minutes.”
“I’m fine,” Max snapped. He stalked toward the exit. “Let’s just get out of here.”
* * *
Max didn’t speak to Owen at all on the bike ride home. When he reached his house, his little sister, Deedee, was out front drawing on the sidewalk with chalk.
“Watch out, nerd,” Max barked. He skidded to a stop inches from her.
“Hey! You’re messing up my picture,” Deedee said. She stood up and faced the front door. “Mom!”
“Mom!” said Max in a snotty imitation. “Don’t be such a baby, Deedee.”
“Stop it!” his sister shouted at him.
Max got off his bike and shoved his sister. Deedee fell back onto her butt on the grass. She looked up at him, her eyes big and wet. Then she screamed.
Great, Max thought. Now I’m going to be in trouble on top of everything else.
He hurried to push his bike into the garage and dropped it against the wall. Then he went into the house, ran straight to up to his room, and slammed the door.