“I never understood this part,” Jade whispered. She was one of the few acting somber. Mercedes’s relatives had purged their grief at the funeral, so maybe there was nothing left in them, Mercedes figured, except room for laughter, maybe forgiveness. “How are you doing?”
Mercedes’s cried-out eyes surveyed the room of long-lost relatives, old friends from the neighborhood, and every single member of her team. They were more than a team; they were family. Mercedes squeezed Jade’s right arm, the “Loyalty” tattoo covered by the long sleeves of a black dress. Love and loyalty were what a person needed. It beat the false promise of the corner.
“Take as much time as you need,” Coach said after expressing her condolences.
“No, I need to get out on the court if I want to get away from this.” Mercedes had saved her brother, but for how long? She hadn’t snitched on Robert to the police because it would do no good, but she had told her parents everything about Lincoln. She guessed that Lincoln hated her and would for some time, but one day, he’d thank her for saving his life.
“It’s a light schedule the next few days. You can miss practice, even a few games if—”
“No.” Mercedes shook her head, her straightened hair not moving a centimeter. She felt as out of place dressed up and made up as she would have felt resting on the bench. “I think I blew my chance with Auburn, so I need a second chance. Maybe you could call the scout?”
When Mercedes said those words, she clutched Jade’s hand. For Jade, she’d been that second chance. She hoped she’d done the same for Lincoln, but it was too early to tell.
“I think with the light on you from the tournament, that won’t be a problem,” Coach said. “You just need to be on guard. Make sure you play your game, not the one you think she wants.”
Mercedes nodded in agreement, but wouldn’t smile. Not the place or the time. Today was about the past, tomorrow’s game about her future. Mercedes felt stuck in between again.