Freaked Out (18 page)

“I wish that I had never gone to that party.” Maeve looked depressed.

“It wasn't like you were actually responsible for the fighting, Maeve,” Katani said. “Bobby started it by bringing his friends to the party when Julie had asked him to stay away. In fact, Mr. and Mrs. Faber should have made sure Bobby had something else to do.”

“But the fight was about me. I should have gone with you when you asked.” Maeve toyed with her lunch, dipping a carrot stick into spaghetti sauce.

“The drinking was Bobby's fault, too,” Isabel said. “My sister says he looks for ways to cause trouble.”

“So let me get this straight,” Avery said. “Riley came to Maeve's defense with DJ. DJ meant to hit Riley, but Dillon stepped in at just that moment, so DJ hit Dillon.”

“I didn't ask them to help me. Honest I didn't. I would have been all right. I feel so bad for Dillon. He's the one with the black eye.”

“He's getting lots of attention because of it,” Avery said. “Dillon loves attention. But maybe you should say sorry, Maeve. It can't hurt.”

“Do you think I should write up the party for the school newspaper?” asked Charlotte.

“No way! It wasn't a school thing, and not everyone was invited.” Maeve looked at Charlotte. “Besides, it's old news. Everyone in the school knows what happened by now.” Maeve giggled. “It is kind of romantic, though. Remember that movie called
Sabrina
where they had a big fight at the end? Both brothers liked Audrey Hepburn. One was a serious businessman and the other a playboy.”

“Leave it to Maeve to turn all this into a movie. But personally, if someone threw up right in front of me, I wouldn't be thinking any romantic thoughts.” Avery finished up her lunch, blew up her paper lunch bag, and popped it. Then she hid it immediately, since such behavior was frowned on in the cafeteria.

“I feel like that paper bag,” Avery said. “I'm about to pop. How many are coming to the game to watch Isabel and me score all the points, except for the last, winning basket, of course? We'll give the ball to Betsy, she'll cause
someone to foul her, get a free throw, and she'll be the heroine.” Avery acted out the scenario as she made up the story.

“We're all coming, Ave,” Charlotte said. “We wouldn't miss it for the world. Then we'll go straight to the Tower to finish this discussion. Dad said he'd have pizzas by six.”

“Char?” Maeve asked. “We haven't talked nearly enough about your poem, and Riley turning it into a song. That was so cool.”

“Yes, it was unbelievable.” Charlotte got a dreamy look on her face.

Maeve picked up her lunch tray and hurried ahead of them to turn it in and go to afternoon classes. “Play your heart out, Ave. You too, Isabel.”

“Be there or be trapezoid.” Avery bounced an imaginary basketball all the way back to class. Occasionally, she tossed the ball to Isabel, who tossed it back. Charlotte and Katani were their designated cheerleaders.

By the time they got to the locker area, Maeve had disappeared.

“Do you think Maeve's all right?” Charlotte asked.

“Oh, she is. Maybe she went on to class with Dillon.”

I
t's just too hard to get back in the swing of things today,” Charlotte complained.

“When I am the CEO of Kgirl Enterprises, we'll go to three-day weekends,” Katani said. “Monday will be set aside for recovering from Saturday and Sunday.”

“Absolutely smashing idea.” Charlotte mulled over what books to take home for their study session that night in the Tower. Math…she suddenly remembered that they still needed to help Maeve with math.

“But first things first,” Katani said. “Isabel and Avery got out fifteen minutes early to suit up for the game, but where's Maeve?”

“I don't know. She disappeared after last class.” Charlotte felt a little bit worried, but Maeve knew they were going to the game.

“We'd better go on. I have to take Kelley.” Katani looked up and down the hall.

“Hi, Charlotte,” Kelley said when Ruby Fields
delivered her to her sister's locker. “Are you going to the basketball game? It's going to be supercalifragilistic fun. I love basketball. It's so round.” Kelley began jumping about like one of the dancing hippos in
Fantasia
.

Katani leaned her head against her locker. “Grandma Ruby, I don't—”

“We're all going together, Kelley.” Charlotte hooked her arm into Kelley's and started walking down the hallway. “Come on. We'll come back for books later.”

A relieved Katani gave her grandma a quick hug and traipsed after her sister and Charlotte.

“You're my best friend in the whole world, Charlotte,” Kelley said. “I liked you since the first day of school, didn't I?”

“Yes you did. Despite it being the disaster of all time.” Charlotte smiled.

“Today was a big disaster,” Kelley said. “I spilled my milk all over Denash at lunch and then I couldn't do my work.”

Katani looked at Charlotte. “I hope you're finished with spilling things today, Kelley,” Katani said as she rolled her eyes at Charlotte.

“Oh, yeah, it was just one of those crazy unfortunate things. Unfortunate.” Kelley had obviously fallen in love with a new word. “Unfortunate! Unfortunate!” She repeated it all the way to the gym.

Charlotte, Katani, and Kelley got seats in the middle, three bleachers up so they could see really well.

“I'll save a seat for Maeve with my jacket.” Charlotte placed her favorite vintage blue jean jacket across the bleacher beside her.

“Where's Maeve?” Kelley asked. “I like that red-haired
girl. She's sparkly.” Charlotte chuckled. Kelley was so on target sometimes.

“It's a mystery,” Katani said, “unless she's secretly practicing with Riley's band again. Now hush, Kelley, and get ready to watch and cheer for Avery and Isabel.”

“Yay, Avery! Yay, Isabel!” Kelley shouted, and then she waved when Avery and Isabel stopped their warmup practice to wave back.

“Sit down, Kelley,” Katani hissed. It was just so embarrassing to be with Kelley sometimes. Katani wished that she had her favorite hoodie on right now so she could hide her head. Maybe it was the whole tattletale incident, but she had had enough embarrassment for one day. Kelley sat down, crossed her arms, and stuck her face up to Katani's.

“Miss Cranky Crank,” she called her sister, and then turned back to watch the game.

So Sorry

Maeve had left last period science class with Avery, Isabel, and several cheerleaders, hoping Mr. Moore wouldn't know who was supposed to leave and who wasn't. Whatever. There were only fifteen minutes left.

Slipping out the school's back door, she pulled on her jacket, sat on the steps, and pulled out the letter she'd found stuck in the vents of her locker after lunch. She had read it once, quickly, but wanted to read it again.

Maeve thought it was pretty brave of Tim to write her a letter. And to want to see her to apologize. She didn't know if they could be friends, but she would talk to him.

Where was he? She looked at her pink Minnie Mouse watch. She didn't want to miss any of the basketball game. And Charlotte and Katani would wonder where she was.

“Maeve?” Tim had walked up behind Maeve without her hearing.

She swung around, stuffing the letter in her purse. “Thanks for writing me this letter.”

“I didn't know what else to do. I was afraid you wouldn't speak to me again.”

“I wasn't sure either. But it was a nice letter. It's just that I didn't like how you acted at the party. I don't like being around boys who drink and throw up on my pants. I did like dancing with you in our hip hop class.” Maeve was rarely at a loss for words, but she didn't know what else to say to Tim.

“Will you dance with me next class?”

“I don't know.” Maeve got up. “I have to go. I promised my friends I'd watch their basketball game.”

“I was going to the game too. Can I walk you there?”

“Ah…They're saving me a seat. See you later.” Maeve practically ran back in the school, down the hall to the gym, to get ahead of Tim. Walking into the gym with him would finish off the disaster of the weekend. Shouting and cheering spilled over into the hall, so she knew she was late.

She hurried inside, looked around, and finally spotted Kelley waving at her. “'Scuse me, 'scuse me.” She made her way down the row.

“Maeve!” Kelley yelled over the crowd. “Where were you? The BSG were soooo upset. But we saved you a seat.” Katani rolled her eyes at Maeve. Kelley was so full of herself today.

Maeve sat down quickly. She had already called enough attention to herself this week. “Thanks, Kelley. What's the score?”

“Sixteen to fourteen. Very unfortunate.” Kelley took Maeve's hand. “I'm glad you're here. You're one of my very best friends. I like your red hair.”

Maeve didn't know why, but Kelley's declaration of friendship was very reassuring. She needed her friends right now. Maybe she was feeling a little afraid that like in Charlotte's poem, if she wasn't careful, they could all wash right out from under her feet like sand when the tide goes out, and she'd be left alone. No friends? Life without the BSG was a disaster she couldn't even imagine.

Suddenly, the crowd surged to their feet, wildly cheering. Avery had sunk a jump shot from the top of the key.

“Yay, Avery!” Maeve shouted. The BSG all clapped for their friend.

The opposing team, Lincoln, inbounded the ball to a girl wearing number 23, and she started to dribble up the court. Since Avery was playing point guard, she guarded number 23 as the girl dribbled the length of the floor. After they crossed midcourt, number 23 spotted an open teammate and tried to pass the ball to her, but Avery was too quick. She reached out just in time to block the pass, steal the ball, and sprint toward the other basket.

Julie and Anna also took off, and it was three on one going down the court. Avery passed to Anna, who passed to Julie, who laid it up and in off the backboard. Abigail Adams 24, Lincoln 22. Avery and Julie high-fived as they ran back to play defense.

“Whoa, looks like Avery and Julie are getting along now,” observed Maeve.

“Well, in order to play as a team, you have to put all your differences aside,” explained Charlotte. “Remember, there's no
I
in TEAM!”

The buzzer sounded at the end of the half and both teams jogged to their benches for the halftime break.

“All right, we're going to start off the second half with the veterans,” Coach Porter announced. “Kayla, you'll be at center. Jenny and Amanda at forward, and Sarah and Min at guard. You guys are playing great! Let's keep it up in the second half!”

Avery sat back on the bench and drank from her water bottle. She hated to sit on the bench, but everybody had to get a chance to play. She was having a ton of fun so far, and Julie and company were actually working with their teammates instead of sabotaging the team with their meanness. Julie must still feel bad after her party, Avery figured.

The score stayed close throughout the second half. Coach Porter subbed the players in and out and made sure that everyone got to play.

Up in the stands, the girls were having a great time cheering on the Abigail Adams team.

“Go Avery!” Kelley shouted.

“Go Isabel!” Charlotte called out.

“Go Betsy, go!” Katani shook her head. “She is unbelievable today.”

“Go Anna!” Maeve finally got into the game. She started yelling for everyone. Yelling made her feel a whole lot better. Maybe someday she could teach yelling therapy. Maybe she would be a yelling therapist when she grew up. She could see her card now:
MAEVE KAPLAN-TAYLOR—YELLING THERAPIST TO THE STARS
. Her tagline would read:
Shout Your Blues Away!
Of course, her card would be pink.
Pink would always be her signature color. Ms. Razzberry Pink told her that anyone who chose pink as their signature color would always be able to beat the blues.

The clock was winding down in the fourth quarter and Abigail Adams was still down by two points. A Lincoln player took a shot and missed, and Isabel pulled down the rebound.

“Time out, ref!” called Coach Porter.

The teams huddled around their coaches at their respective benches.

“All right, Avery, you're going in for Sarah. Betsy, you're in for Isabel. Anna, Amanda, and Jenny, you'll all stay in. We've got twenty seconds left in the game and we need two to tie.” Coach Porter took out her clipboard and a marker and started to draw a play on the surface. “We're going to run play number five. Jenny, you'll inbound the
ball to Avery, and Amanda, you'll cut toward the open space. Avery, your job is to get the ball to Amanda when she's open. Amanda, if you get a good look, take the shot. Everybody got it?”

All the players nodded.

“Okay, everybody in,” Coach said, placing her hand in the center of the tight circle. The whole team put their hands in for a cheer. “Team on three. 1, 2, 3…”

“TEAM!” they all shouted as they shook their hands in unison.

Up in the stands, the other BSG watched Avery run out on the court and get in position.

“Oh, I'm so nervous for Avery!” said Maeve.

“Don't worry, Maeve,” Katani said. “Avery totally thrives on pressure!”

Jenny Pesky inbounded the ball to Avery and she dribbled to the right, looking for the open player. Amanda ran under the basket and cut to the left, trying to lose her defender. Avery got ready to pass, but suddenly Amanda tripped and fell to the court. There was no foul, so the refs didn't blow the whistle.
Oh no!
thought Avery.
Now I can't pass to Amanda!

Avery glanced at the game clock. Only ten seconds left. She kept dribbling and saw Betsy open at the top of the key. Avery passed the ball to Betsy, who dribbled toward the hoop.
Betsy's going to do a layup
, thought Avery. Betsy's defender whacked her on the arm just as she was letting go of the ball, and the buzzer sounded. The referee blew the whistle, and the ball bounced off the backboard and hit the rim, bounced back above the basket and fell
straight through the hoop. The score was tied! And Betsy was fouled, so she would get to take one foul shot.

If Betsy hit her foul shot, Abigail Adams would win. Luckily for Abigail Adams, Betsy was the best free throw shooter on the team. The gym was silent as Betsy took her time bouncing the basketball a couple of times at the foul line. She lined up her shot, just like she practiced every day. Betsy bent her knees and extended her arm and shot the ball. Time seemed to slow down as the ball arced toward the basket. Swish! Nothing but net. The crowd went wild.

“Yeah!” cheered Avery as she high-fived Betsy. “You did it, Betsy!”

The Abigail Adams players rushed onto the court to congratulate Betsy, clapping and high-fiving. By working together, and playing their best, they had won the game.