It's All In the Game (McKinley Family Series #1)

Chapter 9: Karma

I'm sitting on the bleachers with Miguel and his new conquest, Caressa waiting for the game to start. She's a cute girl but she talks too much and asks too many questions in this annoying-whiny baby voice. She drives all of us crazy but we deal because Miguel likes her.

Ignoring what-ever it is those two are saying, I pull out my phone and check for any missed calls. "Still, no callback," I mentally tell myself. I've been calling Jewel all day, but haven't been able to get her on the phone. She didn't come to school today and I'm a little worried.

I run my hands up and down my legs out of frustration. With me being worried about her and trying to figure out what's going on with Declan I'm surprised I'm not turning gray at sixteen. I've been patiently waiting on Declan to talk to me about whatever happened at his dad's house. He hasn't stayed at his dad's house for their weekends in over a month. His dad and he still get together and do stuff together with Matthew and Ethan but he always comes home after.

"Where's Jewel...the game is about to start?" Miguel asks, leaning back on the bleacher behind him.

"I don't know, she hasn't answered her phone all day."

Miguel gives me a worried look, before ducking his head in thought. "She's probably with Clifton."

I start to feel the worry again, as it starts permeating through my body. "I know," I say, rubbing my arms trying to quell these growing feelings.

Clifton is very controlling and doesn't like it when she hangs with us. He believes she's messing with King but in my opinion, he's really too old to be jealous of seventeen-year-old boys. He needs to find a woman his own age. Someone to kick his ass. Plus, I know he's been hitting her. I know this just like I know the sky is blue, but she won't admit it. As if she thinks we're blind to the fingerprints on her neck or the extra makeup she's been wearing lately. I'm so scared for my friend - scared she will end up dead or severely hurt.

At night when I sneak over to Declan's house I sometimes just lay in his arms and cry for my friend. I don't understand why she is with him. She saw her mom go through this same thing with her boyfriends, so why would she choose this. This whole situation is so messed up I even made an anonymous tip to CPS, but what good did it do when all she did was lie to them just like she lies to us.

"So who do you think is going to win? Our team is good but this team is 10-2," Caressa says, breaking me out of all the constant thoughts my brain has swirling around.

"Bae, if you're going to sit with us you're going to have to keep how good you think the other team is to yourself," Miguel tells her.

"Are you saying I can't have an opinion?"

"No, you can have an opinion just move over there with it." Miguel is pointing to the other side of the gym. "This side is for Lakeside fans and we don't care about the other team's stats."

Caressa's mouth is opening and shutting like some fish stuck on a shore. I cover my mouth to laugh. "I can't believe you just said that." She says pushing Miguel back.

The two teams have started lining up. Our players and a few of the cheerleaders form two lines and the announcer starts announcing the players through the loudspeaker.

"Starting for Lakeside High Number 23 Kingston Crosby." The crowd goes crazy. The bleachers are vibrating from all the stomping and jumping. I watch King jog through the line slapping everyone's hand with that very focused look pasted on his face.

"Number 24 Phillip Davis." Hearing extra loud screaming I turn my head and see Nakita and her friend Melody. I shake my head. My uncle Jerome is sitting a row up from her with my grandma. He and my grandma come to all of King's games. Declan's brother Matthew is probably here somewhere too.