Rumors by Erica Kiefer

caught,” I said, my eyes darting back to Tara, “you’re
going to be kicked off the team, or at least suspended from a game
or two. Are you really willing to jeopardize that?” As wrestlers,
this could affect Ben and Landon, too.
    Tara
sided with Austin, blindsiding me with her comment. She almost said
the words under her breath, but not quite. “What’s it to you? It’s
not like you care about our team anyway.”
    My mouth opened, my mind reflecting on the grueling training
I’d endured for the past month. “It was one practice, Tara. I missed one practice.” I
couldn’t believe Tara was ganging up on me with Austin. She had a
tendency to be outspoken, but there was something more scornful
about her words tonight, and they were aimed at me.
    “ You’re totally off your game,” Tara said, placing her beer on
the side of the hot tub.
    “ What are you talking about? I work my butt off in practice!”
I could feel a rush of heat touch my face, fueled by disbelief and
hurt.
    Tara shook her head. “Sure, you’re training , but when it comes to the
team—to the game—you’re still stuck in your own little world. Take
Wednesday’s game, for instance. You were out there on the court,
but it’s like you were just going through the motions. Yes, we won,
but where’s that fire and drive you used to have? I mean,
seriously, did that part of you drown with your cousin?”
    Tara’s
hand slapped over her mouth, her eyes wide. She obviously hadn’t
meant to say those words, but with how fast they slipped from her
lips, she most definitely had them locked and loaded. “I—I mean…”
Her words stuttered, her voice soft and uncertain.
    I
clenched my jaw, refusing to let the sting of her words show on my
face. Still, I had to swallow the lump in my throat, praying the
burning in my eyes wouldn’t result in tears. I watched Tara’s face
crumple, an apology forming in her gaze.
    The
expressions on everyone’s face showed their discomfort, their eyes
looking back and forth between Tara and me. I couldn’t believe
she’d said that to me, even if there was some truth to her
words.
    I stood
up and stepped out of the hot tub, wrapping my towel around my
torso as I stalked off towards the fence with my clothes in
hand.
    “ Allie—Allie wait!” Tara called out. From the sounds of water
splashing behind me, I knew she, and perhaps Shane, were scrambling
out of the hot tub, too. I didn’t know where I was going—it’s not
like I had keys to either of the two cars we had carpooled
in.
    “ Hold on, Allie!” Shane’s voice also called. I reached the
fence and dropped my towel long enough to slip my clothes back on.
By the time I finished dressing, Tara and Shane had caught up to
me.
    “ I didn’t mean it,” Tara said. “Really, I—” Her words were cut
short when we heard a quick siren on the other side of the fence
behind us. The red and blue lights flashed in our eyes.
    “ Cops!” Austin shouted. All of them leaped out of the tub,
ditching their beer cans and clothes. They sprinted to the far side
of the fence. Tara, Shane, and I followed suite, ignoring the cop
who stepped out of his vehicle.
    “ Hey, you kids there!” he hollered. “Hold it!”
    Oh, crap!
    My heart
thumped in my chest as I took off after the others, almost tripping
on a crumpled beer can. I could still hear the cop yelling at us. I
chanced a look over my shoulder, seeing him running along the fence
towards us.
    Tonya,
Ben, and Landon had already scaled the fence and were nowhere to be
seen. Austin was already on the other side, waiting for Tara. Shane
lifted her enough so she could pull herself up and over, letting
Austin catch her. Then Shane gave me a boost. As I swung my leg
over the top, my sweatpants caught on the sharp, pointed edge,
grazing my thigh. The unexpected jolt was enough to throw off my
jump. I landed awkwardly, twisting my right ankle. I grimaced in
pain just before Shane landed next to me. He pulled me to my