Chapter 15
Mandy wasn't there.
Kayla clocked it in the first thirty seconds of warm-ups, the absence of her like a blank spot where a tooth should be that the tongue keeps finding. Coach Delgado hadn't said anything. Nobody had asked. Tuesday, that would have surprised her. Nothing surprised her anymore.
She ran the drills and kept her head in it and did not think about Mandy, and she sure as hell didn’t think about Bree.
Yeah sure.
Practice ran long. They worked a new transition play until the shadows on the field were almost as long as the girls casting them, and by the time Coach Delgado blew the final whistle Kayla's calves were burning and she had grass stains on both knees and she was ready to be done.
“My feet are actually dead,” Cat said beside her, pulling her hair out of its elastic. “Like, medically. Somebody should call somebody.”
“You ran great.”
“I ran great while dying. There's a difference.” Cat shouldered her stick and fell into step with her toward the sideline. “What are you doing this weekend?”
“I don't know yet.” Kayla picked up her water bottle. Drained half of it. “Why?”
“My cousin's band is playing at this outdoor thing in Mission Bay.
My aunt bought like eight tickets because she thinks they're going to be famous and she has lost her mind, but the point is, there are free tickets and it's Saturday afternoon and there's going to be food trucks, so...” Cat looked at her.
“Before you say yes, and you should say yes, they're not actually that good.”
“How not good?”
“Think middle school talent show but with better equipment.”
“Cat, this weekend is a whole family thing.”
“Bummer,” Cat pouted, then she brightened. “Is your dad home?”
“I wish,” Kayla muttered.
Kayla's phone buzzed.
She glanced down out of habit and stumbled. It was a text from Bree.
Tell mom i love her.
She stopped walking.
Cat took three more steps before she noticed. “Hey, you okay?”
“It’s Bree.” Kayla breathed.
“Say hi for me,” Cat chirped.
Where are you?
Its dark and locked not a house.
Can you tell me anything? Anything at all?
They wear masks and don’t talk in front of me.
Do you hear any noises?
Kayla had to wait for a long time for a response.
Theres trains a lot of them
Kayla saw more bubbles.
And sea lions I hear sea lions hes back help me
And then nothing.
Kayla read through everything twice.
“Kayla.” Cat had come back to her. “What’s going on? You look freaked.”
“Nothing.” She locked her phone and put it in her pocket. She looked up and made her face do the right thing. “Sorry. Just my mom. She's running late picking up Lisa.” She started walking again. “Tell me more about the band. What are they called?”
“Kayla, you said it was Bree.”
Kayla stopped again.
“Bree texted first and just said she missed us. Then mom texted.”
Cat gave her a long look. “I’m going to give you that, cause you’re my friend. But friends are only allowed one lie a week. Are we clear?”
Kayla gave Cat a weak nod.
“In that case, on a scale of one to ten. One being not interested at all, and ten being I am dying to kiss him. How interested are you in Connor?”
Kayla looked up and saw her mom’s car. “Mom’s here.”
“You have to tell me the truth. It’s a rule.”
“A seven. Okay? A seven.”
She ran across the field to the SUV, doing everything she could to keep it together. As soon as she opened the door, she started shaking.