“Okay, girls, arms out! A little softer on your feet, Carli. That’s right. Perfect!” Santee weaved through the dancing girls, making her way toward me. I was trying desperately to keep up and copy what Taylor was doing effortlessly beside me. I grunted with pain as I lost my balance, thanks to my still-sore legs. I stumbled and was shoved back into position by Taylor, who grinned good-naturedly.
“Rough night?” she asked.
“Wise guy,” I gasped. “I was all sore from trying to dance and then I had soccer practice. Coach has been running us ragged to get us ready for the game tomorrow.”
“Excuses, excuses,” she called over her shoulder as she twirled away, sticking her tongue out at me playfully. That kid was a force of nature, I thought, sticking my tongue out back at her. She giggled.
“Very nice, Taylor.” Santee beamed at her. “Don’t forget—the shawl should look like a butterfly’s wings. Hold it softly, like this.” Santee demonstrated for the girls. “Now step lightly. Feel the music. Flutter, girls. Flutter!”
I stifled a laugh as the girls fluttered behind their teacher, colorful shawls held aloft as they danced in a long rainbow line. Then a lone dancer entered my peripheral vision. It was Taylor, and she wasn’t fluttering. She wasn’t following the line of girls across the room. But like the other dancers, she held her pink-and-blue shawl high above her head while she spun. Taylor turned suddenly and leaped through the air, her back arched, a look of utter joy on her face. She landed as the last beat of the drum sounded and stopped, her chest heaving as the entire class stared. I burst into applause, followed by the rest of the dancers.
Santee bounded over and hugged her, then held her at arm’s length. “Where did that come from?” she asked, smiling broadly at Taylor.
Taylor shrugged as she gulped for air. “I heard it in the music,” she managed to say.
I didn’t hear Santee’s response. I was too busy gaping at the clock. Soccer practice had started fifteen minutes ago. I groaned. If I left right now, I’d be half an hour late. Coach was going to kill me. Then the team would take turns kicking my butt on the field. I headed to where I had dumped my backpack and threw it over my shoulder. The music started up behind me, and Santee called for the girls to start fluttering around the room again. I turned to the door just as she reached my side.
“Going somewhere?” she asked.
“Yeah. Soccer practice. I’m already late,” I told her, gesturing toward the clock.
She nodded. “Listen, John. I wanted to talk to you about something…”
“Okay. But can it wait?” I asked, glancing at the clock and shifting my bag to my other shoulder. “I’m sorry, Santee, but I really have to go.”
“All right, but just one thing.” She handed me a flyer with a photo of a fierce-looking man on it.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“It’s the Pow Wow the girls are performing at this weekend. We’d love for you to come and watch.”
“Come on, John!” the girls started calling out. “Please? Come!”
“Yeah. Sure. I think I can make it. But I better run. I’ll see you guys there,” I called over my shoulder, nodding at Santee and stuffing the flyer into my pocket.
I’d be lucky if I could walk tomorrow after the beating I’d be taking at practice.
* * *
I wasn’t wrong. Unfortunately.
From the second I stepped onto the field, the coach was riding me. Hard.
“McCaffrey, do you have concrete in your shoes? Run!” he yelled.
“McCaffrey, are you going to let another one by you, or will you consider actually stopping one?” he shouted.
“Damn it, McCaffrey. Are you playing for our team or theirs? Because you’re basically handing them the ball now,” he shrieked.
“McCaffrey, have you slept at all? Are you getting enough rest, son? You look like you’re falling asleep out there,” he called across the field sarcastically.
Tanner ran past, laughing at me. “Come on, sleepyhead. Try to keep up,” he sang over his shoulder. I stopped and bent over, hands on my knees, as I tried to catch my breath.
“McCaffrey!” the coach shouted at me.
I held up my hand.
“Are you holding your hand up at me, Boo-Boo?” Coach asked.
Boo-Boo? I shook my head, still trying to catch my breath. “No.”
“Boys, I think what your teammate is trying to say is that you all need some extra laps…just to make sure you’re getting enough exercise. Isn’t that right, McCaffrey?”
I shook my head as the team groaned.
“Coach—” I began.
“So let’s see you run, boys! Now!” The coach blew his whistle and stalked back toward the gym.
“Thanks a lot, John,” Tanner said, banging into me with his shoulder as he ran past. “How about next time you try to actually show up on time?”
“Sorry, guys!” I called out. I rubbed my shoulder and started to run, catching up to Aiden and falling into step beside him. “Sorry,” I said.
“It’s fine,” Aiden said. “If it wasn’t you, it would be someone else making him mad.”
Maybe, I thought. But I’d be a lot happier if it wasn’t me for once.