“I did it again.”

“Did what?” Marissa took a bite of mashed potatoes.

I stabbed my potatoes repeatedly. “Told everyone who you’re crushing on.”

Marissa took a deep breath and put down her fork. “Of course you did.”

“You really need to stop telling me these things,” I said sheepishly.

“Yeah, you’d think I’d have learned by now.” Marissa stood. “See you later.”

“I’m sorry,” I called after her.

I put my head in my hands. Why can’t I keep the simplest of secrets? Especially ones about my best friends.

The bell rang and I sighed. Time for gym. The absolute worst class of the day.

I walked into the locker room late and rushed to pull on my shorts and t-shirt. The hallway was crowded with the kids in my class when I finally emerged.

Mrs. Kimperly, the gym teacher, clapped twice and the voices quieted.

“Today, we’re going outside to work on our soccer skills,” she said, glaring at the kids who groaned. “Just for that, two laps first.” She raised an eyebrow, obviously waiting for a reaction. Thankfully, she didn’t get one. “ After the laps, meet up with your partner in the middle of the field. Now go!”

We all walked down the hall and out the double doors leading to the track. As we ran, I thought about my partner. Veronica was my other best friend. Emphasis on was. She stopped talking to me when I told everyone that she got an abortion, a fact that she didn’t want anyone to know, but I couldn’t keep in, not when I didn’t agree with it. Partners had been decided at the beginning of the school year and Mrs. Kimperly wouldn’t let us change. Now, Veronica would purposefully make me get bad grades, which also came with getting hurt, a lot.

When the two laps were done, everyone met in the middle of the field. Mrs. Kimperly blew her screeching whistle to get our attention.

“All right. Each pair grab a ball and let’s get to it.”

I saw Veronica heading to the pile, so I stood off to the side, waiting for her to come over. When she finally did, everyone else had already begun the drills, forcing us to play catch-up.

After about ten minutes of warm-ups, Mrs. Kimperly blew her whistle again.

“Charity!”

I stopped. “Yes, Mrs. Kimperly?”
“Go over there,” she gestured to the goal at the end of the field, “and make sure the ball doesn’t go in.”

I jogged over and waited as everyone gathered around Mrs. Kimperly and Veronica.

“All right. Veronica, I want you to kick the ball as hard as you can and try to make a goal. Charity, I want you to try to stop the ball from going in. Got it?”

We both nodded and Veronica took up a position behind the ball. Mrs. Kimperly’s whistle screeched.

“Get to it!”

Veronica eyed me. She took a couple of steps back and bounced on her toes. Then with a running start, kicked the ball to send it flying my way. I watched it come hurtling at me -- Veronica had always had some powerful kicks.

The ball drew closer. My eyes widened. I wasn’t going to catch it. It was going to hit me right in the…
OOMPH!

The ball smacked against my head and I fell back. My head hit the ground hard and bright lights flashed. My head spun, the sky turning every which way. A face hovered over me, spinning in lazy circles.

I passed out.