he was now.
I lowered my gaze, focusing on the ball.
“Um, Freddy, did you say the boys’ team?”
“Yep,” I said, popping the p. “Lone Butte doesn’t have a girls’ team.”
He scratched the side of his head, considering this. “I don’t know, Fredders. A boys’ team? A bunch of spoiled, rich white boys? That doesn’t sound...”
“What?” I prodded.
“Normal,” he blurted finally.
My voice got louder. “Why not?”
His voice got louder. “Because the boys there ain’t gonna like it.”
“And why not?”
He stepped closer, his hands jammed in his front jean pockets. “Because that means you’re taking someone’s spot, someone who’ll think he deserves it more than you.”
Air sputtered through my lips. “Well, that’s just stupid,” I said. “What’ll it matter, if we win tournaments? The coach told me I was probably the best player on his team.”
Trevor chuckled as his chin pulled closer to his neck. “Oh, great. He told you that, too? Believe me, Freddy. It’ll matter. It’ll matter to someone.”
I swallowed hard but said nothing. Till now, I’d never thought that I’d be taking someone else’s spot. I’d thought Coach Lannon had merely created a new one. He was the coach, after all. Couldn’t he do such things?
“You’re being paranoid,” I said finally.
“Am I?” His doubtful tone caused a line of goose bumps to fly up my neck. “Just be careful,” he said before turning toward the front door. “You’re gonna need to watch your back. Stick close to the other kids from the Rez when you’re at school, at least at first.”
“That might be kind of hard. Not to mention freaky.” There were only seven Rez kids in my entire school, four boys and three girls, including me. Kelly Oliver and Yolanda Studi were both seniors. Kelly was the only other person I’d ever heard utter the word college, mostly because she wanted to become a nurse. Yolanda was her cousin and best friend, and I was pretty sure Kelly was the only reason she hadn’t dropped out. Yolanda had a mouth and attitude worse than my mother. Then there were Sam Tracy, Peter Begay, Martin Ellis and Vernon Parker. Vernon was a freshman, skinny and quiet as a saguaro; Martin was a sophomore; and Sam and Peter were my age. Sam was big enough to play football, but he had no desire to be on the Lone Butte team. Like most of my people, there were trust issues with anyone off the Rez that ran so deep I couldn’t begin to understand where the puzzle pieces started and where they ended.
I’d known these Rez kids my whole life; they were like family, even if we rarely hung out. They all lived miles away from our trailer. But just like family, whenever we bumped into each other, like in the school hallways or sometimes in the cafeteria, our conversations pretty much continued where we’d left off, whether it had been a day, a month or even six months.
“Just promise me you’ll stick close to them. Will you do that, Fred?” Trevor said again.
I nodded reluctantly, not because I didn’t love my friends, but because I certainly didn’t need any babysitters. “Turn the light out for me? In the kitchen?”
“Why?” he said, opening the screen door.
“I want to make sure I can sink putts with my eyes closed.”
“You’re possessed.” He chuckled again.
“Maybe,” I murmured but not loud enough for him to hear.
I swung my club back just below my waist and waited for the whirling noise of the ball against the plastic rim. It spun around and around before it finally settled in the bottom of the cup.
I could sink putts all night.
1 A Native American ceremonial dance expressing harmony with the Universe.
2 Rez is short for Reservation. It’s what all the cool Indian kids say. I try to be cool when I can.
Chapter 2
Ryan
“DUDE, WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU been?”
I ran to Seth’s silver pickup and threw open the passenger door before the truck had a chance to stop.
Seth slammed the brake, and the truck lurched forward. Under the dim glow of the dome light, his grayish-blue eyes narrowed as he glared at me. “What are you, my mother?”
Friday night was definitely off to a bad start.
I was already fighting with my best friend, and I hadn’t even jumped in his truck yet.
I shook my head and climbed in anyway, slamming the door. My heart was racing a million miles a minute. “Just blow,” I told Seth, sinking lower into my seat and not bothering with the seat belt.
“Okay, man. Whatever.” Seth shifted the gear. “We’re outta here.”
Just hearing those words lightened my shoulders.
The tires screeched across our circular driveway and then straightened toward Pecos Road. The front end almost took out a saguaro near the mailbox next to the street, but Seth didn’t lift his foot from the accelerator for a second. He always drove crazy that way. Crazy Seth. Even crazier than me.
Seth didn’t bother asking me what was wrong either. He already knew. “Where to?”
“Anywhere.” I pulled my baseball cap lower on my head.
“Fisher is having a ripper. His parents are in Hawaii.” Seth’s eyebrows wiggled.
The night was improving exponentially.
“Some of the girls from pom team were invited, too.” He shot me a sideways glance. “Maybe even Gwyneth...” His voice trailed off in a grin.
The corner of my mouth turned up in a careful smile.
Gwyneth Riordan had been hot for me since the eighth grade. Don’t ask me why, but I’d have had to have been blind not to notice and crazy not to want her. I was a little of both. We usually hooked up on the weekends and had become a couple by default.
“Beer?” I breathed easier the farther we got from my street.
“Some.” Seth’s head tilted toward the backseat. I turned and spied a brown bag. He could always swipe a six-pack from his stepdad’s stash unnoticed. “Where’s yours?”
“My dad was home,” I grumbled, remembering that my original plans for tomorrow night were now officially deep-sixed. “I couldn’t chance it. But I need something stronger.”
Seth
