“I can’t play without a good defense.”
“We’ll work on it,” I said. “Lucky that Coral’s on our team, huh?”
I started to walk away, but Bev pulled me back. “I’m not finished with you yet.”
I pulled away from Bev, but she clamped hard. “Hey,” I said. “Back off.”
Bev slapped me.
My cheek blazed with pain and embarrassment. Bev was one of the last people in the world I thought would hit me.
Other girls gathered around the bench. Coral watched, expressionless.
Bev swung at me again. Since the shock had passed, I grabbed Bev’s wrist and twisted her arm behind her back. I knew we were both in trouble the moment she hit me, because teachers aren’t interested in justice. They’re interested in spreading the punishment around, just to make sure fights don’t happen again. I wasn’t going to let whatever was bothering Bev become another vehicle for detention. Two strikes against the honor code were more serious than one.
“Stop it,” I said. “Remember the honor code?”
Coral stepped toward us. “It’s all right, Bev,” she soothed. “I’ll take care of Abby for you.”
All the fight went out of Bev. “Funny,” said Coral. “It’s almost like she isn’t herself. That’s what you’re thinking?”
“What did you say?” I asked Coral.
“You know, she’s right about you and Andrea. We might have to make some changes. Bev and I might have to recommend you get off the team to Mr. Pruitt. Maybe Heather can replace you.”
“Like Mr. Pruitt would listen to you.”
“Well, that’s the thing, Abby. Everyone’s going to listen to me from now on.”
“So, that’s how it is?”
“That’s how it is. Nothing personal. It goes without saying you have been uninvited to my party.”
All the girls watched me, eyes saucer wide. “Don’t mess with me, Coral. It’s best for you if you just keep playing normal human.”
Coral startled. She was supernatural somehow, and she knew I knew it. I had her.
“We’ll see about that.”
“Yes, we will.”
Game on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Pod Teachers
(and Students)
“I don’t like him,” said Vince. Vince had heard from Coral that William and I were going with my dad to see Revenge of the Summer Camp Gill Monster. We were sitting at the snack bar of Big Mel’s. No Ned of course, because it was early after school.
“You don’t like William? There’s a surprise.”
“I don’t think you should be alone with him. The girls at my school fawn all over him. He’s what we call a player, Abby.”
Being from an all girls’ school that sounded to me like someone who admired checkers. “Pardon me for having a sheltered life, but pray tell”—here I blinked to look innocent and girly—”what is a player?”
“A guy who flatters lots of girls.”
“Isn’t flattery a good life skill?”
Vince hammered his fist on the counter. “What is with you?”
“Me? What is with you? When Coral’s around, I don’t even exist, even though I’ve been your friend forever. If there were a definition of BFF in the dictionary, it would be us. But when I want to do anything with William, you act like a jerk.”
Vince frowned. “I don’t like him. Ned doesn’t like him either.”
“Ned doesn’t like Coral,” I countered. “He says she cheats at limbo.”
“She doesn’t.”
“And you know how?”
“I just know.”
“Now. Doesn’t that strike you as weird? You could still like her, and she could still cheat at limbo.”
Vince slammed down the last of his Coke and dropped the paper cup onto the counter. “You go out with William, and I won’t talk to you again.”
“Okay.” I had enough of this crummy week. “Let me tell you how this is going to go. I am going out with William this weekend. You are going to stop being a hypocrite. If you can’t, I’m going to let Ned explain to you what a total jerk you are.”
Vince crumpled the paper cup and skated away. I called after him.
“Dad says you’re under diabolical mind control.” I waved my hands. “Diabolical mind control!”
Vince turned around and skated away backwards. “Knock it off, Abby! You blame everything on the supernatural.”
“When it is supernatural, that’s okay!”
“Well, it’s not this time.”
“Oh, okay. This time, then, it’s about what? Girlfriends? Or just being a jerk?”
Big Mel skated out. “Abby! Vince! No horseplay.”
Vince sneered at me. He rolled away, glaring at me as he made a turn, one skate over the other.
“Don’t you give me that look!” Mel said as Vince shot by, “or you’re out.”
Fine. Mind control or not, I wasn’t going to talk to Vince again. At least until he apologized.
The next morning at school there was a palpable change in the air. The moment I stepped into the hall, everyone else statued. Frozen, like pod people.
“Ms. Rath!” Stodgy Stogdill navigated the obstacle course of blue uniformed girls and waved a piece of paper in front of my face like he was erasing my oxygen. He had buck teeth, yellow from too much coffee, and his breath smelled of stale tobacco. “What do you call this?”
“Um...a report?”
He snapped the paper with his free hand so that his words were punctuated by staccato percussion. “This is the sloppiest assignment I’ve ever seen! You didn’t do what I asked you! This paper is imbecilic.”
Stupid? He called my paper stupid? In front of everyone? I chewed my lower lip to stop it from quivering.
“You fail this paper, Ms. Rath! You’ll have to do better, or you will fail my class!” He crumpled the paper and threw it. It crashed by my feet.
Marty crouched and picked up the paper boulder. “Why was he so mad?”
My eyes stung. I would not cry in front of all the students, but I’d been yelled at by a teacher,
