Troy High (6 page)

THAT NIGHT, I RODE TO TROY WITH MY PARENTS. Perry and Hunter had already left an hour before to get ready for the game. I wore my band uniform, with my red plumed helmet tucked under one arm and my flute case in the other.

“Isn’t this exciting?” Mom asked, her eyes shining as she looked around at the number of people milling between the gate and the bleachers. “Everyone around here really comes out to support the football team.”

“We take pride in our boys,” Dad said, puffing his chest out. I could already tell he was reminiscing about his own football days. I had to make my escape before he started in on another story I’d heard a thousand times.

“I have to go join the rest of the band,” I said. “I’ll see you after the game.”

I headed toward the end of the bleachers where the band sat, but halfway there I heard someone call my name. Elena waved to me from where she stood with the rest of the cheerleaders, all wearing matching red-and-black uniforms.

“Hey,” I said, walking over to her.

“Did you talk to Greg today?” Elena asked. “How is Lucas doing?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Do you really care?”

Elena looked hurt. “Yes, I care. Just because I broke up with him doesn’t mean I want him to be miserable forever.”

I remembered the furious look in Lucas’s eyes earlier that afternoon. “He’s upset, but he’ll get over it.” I hoped. I had been on edge since my run-in with the Spartans, and the worried feeling in my stomach would not go away.

Elena smiled. “He’ll find someone who is perfect for him.” She glanced toward the locker rooms, her smile widening. “Just like I did.”

“Yeah,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I’ll see you after the game.”

I made my way toward the bleachers, where people were already gathering to watch the kickoff. On the other
side of the field, the Clark High School cheerleaders performed for a few people sitting in the visitors’ bleachers.

The band launched into the Troy fight song and the football players came running onto the field. The crowd around us was on its feet, shouting and clapping and stomping. The cheerleaders jumped up and down, flipped along the grass, and cheered as the guys passed them, walking tall and steady like a band of warriors preparing for battle.

“We love you, Perry!” some girls behind me shouted.

The crowd booed as Clark High jogged onto the field.

Troy won the first kickoff, and Perry and the rest of the defensive line waited on the sidelines while Hunter and his offense took the field.

Despite the support from the crowd, Troy was down 3–14 by the end of the first half. Whenever I wasn’t playing, my hands were gripped around my flute, so tight that I had imprints from the keys in my palms. I couldn’t help worrying about my brothers whenever I watched a game. How could they stand to take those hits? Before halftime, Perry had been slammed into the ground by a Clark player twice his size. When he didn’t immediately get up, Coach Wellens and a medic rushed onto the field to make sure he was okay. Although Perry wasn’t always
my favorite person in the world, I was happy to see him walk off the field unharmed.

I didn’t know what went on in the locker room during halftime, but whatever it was, it got the Trojans fired up. The guys intercepted Clark’s passes, tackled their runners to stop them from gaining yards, and made significant movement down the field.

And then a low murmur started up around me during the last two minutes of the game. Something toward the end of the field had caught a lot of people’s attention. People were craning their necks and talking. I stood up a little in my seat to see.

A group of guys and girls were outside the waist-high chain-link fence. They wore the dark blue letterman jackets of Lacede High School. I strained to see who was there.

Lucas leaned on the fence next to Ackley and said something to him. Ackley nodded, his eyes still on the field.

And then I saw another face in the group that made me hold my flute in a death grip. Greg was there, standing next to Owen.

I could understand the football players coming to check out the game, but why was Greg with them?

By now a lot of other people had noticed the Spartans, too, including the cheerleaders and the Troy players on
the sidelines. The cheerleaders kept looking at Lucas and his friends and then whispering to one another. The Troy football players paced a little and tried to look intimidating.

It felt as if the people around me were holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. The worried knot in my stomach tightened. The Lacede guys stared at the Trojans menacingly.

Now I actually wished the game clock wouldn’t tick down so fast. I wanted the game to last forever to keep everyone occupied.

But eventually, the last second changed to zero and the horn sounded, indicating the end of the game. Clark High had not been able to get any more points during the second half. Troy had won 31–14.

The players who had been on the sidelines alerted Hunter to the presence of the Lacede players. Hunter stared at Lucas for a moment, until Coach Wellens ordered him to the locker room.

“Have a good night, everyone,” Ms. Holloway said to us as we packed up our instruments.

I worked slowly, letting other people on the bleachers leave as I stayed seated and carefully put my flute back into its case. My parents wouldn’t be waiting for me, since I had planned to go out with Elena and everyone after the game.

The Spartans remained at the fence, leaning casually against it as if being at Troy was something they did every day.

Several of the Troy spectators eyed the Lacede guys as they made their way down the bleachers. The cheerleaders stood in a tight group on the grass, glaring back at the Spartan girls. I figured the girls must have been Spartan cheerleaders who had come to terrorize their former leader at her new home.

As the crowd thinned, I picked up my flute case and walked down the bleachers to the group of Spartans.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, focusing on Lucas and Greg.

“I came to watch some football,” Lucas said.

“You missed everything except the last two minutes,” I pointed out.

“Just came to pay a little visit to our football friends,” Lucas said, a crooked grin spreading across his face.

Greg glanced at Lucas, then looked at me. “Cassie, maybe you should go home.”

I crossed my arms. “I am not leaving until all of you do. The game is over.”

“Not quite,” Lucas told me. “I have some business to attend to with your brother.”

“Get out of here,” Elena said, stepping up to my side.

“Look who it is, girls,” said one of the Spartan girls, sneering at Elena. “The traitor herself.”

Elena rolled her eyes. “I had no choice but to come to Troy. School rezoning, remember?”

“But you did have a choice who you decided to give your loyalty to,” the cheerleader snapped.

“Here they come,” Owen said in a low voice, looking over our shoulders.

I glanced behind me to see Perry and Hunter had emerged from the locker room, followed by the rest of the Troy players. They were headed across the field toward us.

Turning back around, I stared hard at Greg, pleading silently for him to talk some sense into his brother and go home.

Greg wouldn’t make eye contact with me.

As the Trojans reached the fence separating them from the Spartans, more people had joined them. The cheerleaders stood behind the guys, along with a few other Troy students. There were about thirty Trojans compared to the fifteen Spartans standing with Lucas, but the Spartans didn’t back down as the Trojans drew close.

“What do we have here?” Hunter asked. “A few wayward Spartans far from home?”

The Trojan cheerleaders giggled nervously as they watched the guys to see what they would do next.

Lucas stared at Perry, moving closer to the fence so that they stood only inches apart.

“We came to pay our respects,” Lucas told him, “before we kill you on the field.”

Perry snorted and the other Trojans laughed. “Why don’t you back up your threats with action?” he asked. “Why wait for the field?”

Lucas stepped forward again, holding his arms out to each side. “Fine, let’s settle things right now.”

I noticed Perry’s jaw twitch. Lucas was bigger than Perry was, and his entire body had tensed, as if waiting to jump on Perry at any moment.

Perry snorted again, grinning wide to his fans behind him as if Lucas’s threats didn’t bother him at all. But I knew him better than they did. Perry was nervous. All I had to do was see the way his nostrils flared slightly and how wide his eyes opened. He looked toward Hunter for reassurance.

“I’d hate to mess up your pretty face,” Perry said, reaching out to pat Lucas’s cheek over the fence.

Lucas slapped Perry’s hand away, and Hunter stepped forward.

“You got a problem with my brother, take it up with me,” Hunter said.

Ackley stared hard at Hunter, his hands curled into tight fists.

Lucas laughed, his eyes on Perry. “Going to let your brother fight your battles for you?”

“You’re one to talk, Lucas,” Elena said, her arms crossed over her chest. “How many times has Greg gotten you out of things?”

Lucas glared back at her in silence.

“At least I know how to be loyal to the people I care about,” Greg said. “But you just run off with whoever happens to smile in your direction.”

“Perry did not steal me away,” Elena snapped. “Ask Cassie. She knows everything.”

Oh, great. Thanks a lot, Elena.

Greg looked at me. “What does she mean?”

“Cassie knows I’ve been wanting to break up with Lucas for days,” Elena said.

Something in Greg’s eyes changed as he looked at me. His expression clouded over and the muscles in his forearms tightened.

Lucas looked as if he wanted to punch someone, and he probably would have, except that a shrill whistle suddenly sounded around us. I clasped my hands over my ears as Coach Wellens pushed himself in front of the fence, between the two guys. Ms. Holloway stood behind him along with some other teachers.

“What is going on here?” Coach Wellens asked, looking first at the Spartans and then at the Trojans.

Hunter’s eyes were still on Lucas, but he stepped back and his shoulders relaxed slightly. “Nothing, Coach. Just having a little chat.”

“How about you all save it for the field,” Coach Wellens said. “Tonight’s game is over. That means get off the school grounds and go home. If I hear there’s been fighting, here or anywhere else, I will bench anyone involved for the rest of the season.” He turned toward Lucas. “And don’t think I can’t have you Spartans benched as well. Coach Whittingham happens to be an old college buddy of mine.”

No one moved. Lucas and Perry continued to stare at each other, as if silently daring the other to make the first move.

“Are you all hard of hearing?” Coach Wellens roared, spit flying from his mouth as he spoke. “I said it’s time to go home.
Now!
”

The cheerleaders were the first to scurry away, followed by everyone else.

Ackley looked back at Hunter. “See you on the field, Prince,” he growled.

I looked at Greg. He looked away. And followed his brother toward the parking lot.

THE TREES LOOKED LIKE GHOSTS.

At least, that was my first thought as my brothers’ car rumbled down the road toward Troy High on Monday morning. The trees that stood outside on the front lawn were white and billowed in the morning breeze.

As the car drew closer, I saw that the billowy white was toilet paper. Long streamers of toilet paper hung from the branches and waved in the wind.

The trees weren’t the only things that had been attacked by the toilet paper. The stone Trojan and his horse were now mummies, toilet paper streamers had been raised up the flagpole, and the maintenance workers were already gathering up the toilet paper that had been thrown across the front steps.

“Ugh,” I said when I climbed out of the car. I pressed the back of my hand against my nose. “What is that smell?”

“Eggs,” said Elena as she, Kelsey, and Mallory joined us. “There are eggs all over the front door and windows.”

“Who did this?” Perry asked.

“Who do you think?” Kelsey said.

Something clicked in my head. “You don’t think someone from Lacede did this?”

“Who else would do it?” Mallory snapped.

“How about any of the other schools we play against? Or maybe even someone who goes to Troy?”

“No,” Hunter said in a low, even voice, “this was a Spartan attack.”

Students were gathering around us, murmuring about their anger toward the Spartans. The rest of the football team had made their way to the front of the crowd, closest to Hunter, looking to him as if waiting for his command.

“What are we going to do?” Paul Baker asked.

“It’s just a stupid prank,” I said. “Can’t we just forget it and worry about beating Lacede on the football field instead?”

My suggestion was met with loud disagreement.

“It’s too late for that, Cassie,” Hunter told me. “The Spartans have started a war. We can’t back down without looking like the weaker team.”

“Right,” another football player agreed, pumping his fist into the air. His eyes shone, eager to get revenge. “We’ll take down those Spartans and show them just who they’re dealing with.”

The rest of the students cheered, looking toward the football players as if they were gods. Perry, who had been standing with his arm slung around Elena and nuzzling her neck while Hunter talked, now stood straight and tall, basking in the attention from the other students.

“It’s just a stupid rivalry,” I muttered.

“Stupid or not,” Perry said, “those Spartans won’t get away with defacing our school.”

Troy High buzzed with energy as everyone shouted about getting revenge.

“We will take those Spartans down,” Hunter vowed.

The boys around him cheered, pumping their fists and grunting like apes. The girls clapped and bounced up and down, smiling wide.

Elena seemed at ease in the middle of this Spartan bashing. You wouldn’t believe that she had ever set foot in Lacede High from the way she cheered right along with the Trojans.

“We are
so
going to get them,” Elena said. “They’ll regret messing with us.”

“Are you forgetting you used to be a Spartan?” I asked.

Elena rolled her eyes. “I go to Troy now. I have to be loyal to my new school. I would think you’d be on our side too, since your brothers are leading this battle.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, “I didn’t realize this was a
battle
. I thought it was just two schools playing dumb pranks on each other. Should I get out my armor and prepare for war?”

“You’re such a brat, Cassie,” Elena told me.

Immediately, I felt sorry for what I’d said. I hated the thought of Elena being annoyed with me.

“You’re right,” I said. “I’m a brat sometimes. Just ask my brothers.”

A small smile twitched at the corners of Elena’s mouth.

“I just wish our schools didn’t have to hate each other so much,” I said. “What is the point of this rivalry anyway? I mean, it’s not like we have a choice about which school we attend. You should know that well enough.”

“It’s just a fun thing,” Elena said. “It’s called school spirit. You should try getting some every once in a while.”

“Uses too much energy,” I said.

“Hey, honey,” Mom greeted me as she looked up from her laptop, which sat open on the kitchen table. “Have fun at school?”

“A blast,” I said, pulling the refrigerator open and
grabbing a bottle of Snapple. “Walked through rotten eggs, planned an attack on an enemy school, you know, the usual.”

Mom looked up from her work. “What’s this about an attack?”

I took a long drink of my Snapple. “Nothing,” I said. I didn’t want to explain about Lucas and Elena and Perry. I was tired of thinking about it and just wanted to forget it for a while. “I’m just kidding. My day was the typical American high school day. I’ll let you get back to work.”

I kissed Mom’s cheek and headed toward my room. I closed my door and picked up my phone.

“Hello?” Greg said when he answered the phone.

“Hey,” I greeted him. “Seen any good sales on toilet paper lately?”

Greg waited a second too long before saying, “What?”

“Someone toilet-papered and egged Troy High last night,” I told him. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

Greg made a grunting noise. “Why should I?”

I settled back on my bed. “Oh, I don’t know. I just thought maybe Lucas had decided to get back at Perry and Elena by defacing our school. It sounds like something he’d do, you know?”

“Just because Lucas does something doesn’t mean I’m involved.”

“
Were
you involved?”

“You’re so annoying sometimes, Cassie,” Greg said, his voice tight.

“Just answer the question. Yes or no?”

“No, I wasn’t involved!” Greg exclaimed. “Are you happy now?”

“A little,” I said, “but I have one more question. Did you know about it?”

Greg was quiet for several moments. “It was just a prank.”

“So you knew.”

“And you knew Elena was going to dump Lucas.”

We were both quiet for a long time, listening to each other breathing over the phone line.

“Are you done accusing me or is there something else you want to lay on me?”

I sighed. “Could you just ask Lucas not to do anything else? Some of the kids at Troy are talking about getting revenge.”

“What are they planning?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I hope they won’t go through with it, whatever it is, but I’m afraid Lucas may have made things worse between our schools. Just ask him to stop.”

“I can’t promise that he’ll listen to me.”

“I know, but try. I’ll talk to you later.”

I hung up the phone and slumped back into my pillows. I’d known Lucas long enough to think this was only the beginning.