Sit the goddamn hell down! It was the woman behind her.
Nola heard that command with a grape in her cheek. She turned, opened her mouth to give a dignified piece of her mind, and out it flew, exactly like a glob of green snot-spit, landing on the mother’s broad pink nose. A shocked pause. The father lifted himself, a squarish, bearlike man with sloping shoulders, a walrus mustache, a trucker hat that said Dakota Sand and Gravel. He put his arms out to shove Nola down, but having perfected her move on Father Travis she leaned forward and popped her breast into his grip. Trucker Hat yelped.
Get your paws off me, shrieked Nola.
Peter saw only the hands. Mrs. Trucker Hat was still wiping grape off her face when Peter let his fist fly. It felt so good to let the rage out, then instant remorse as Trucker Hat bent over, face in hands. Nola, however, went numb with pleasure. The game was stopped and thin, apprehensive Mr. Hossel was forced to extract the four parents from the stands. Nola dreamily slid out, clinging tight to Peter’s arm. Both failed to see that their daughter had blazed a beanball straight at Braelyn as the whistle sounded to stop play. Distracted, Braelyn let down her guard and sustained a facial. Now her nose was bleeding all over the floor.
The referee held up a yellow card and out went Maggie to the boos of Planet moms and dads. The Planets, hearts blistering, played with vengeant energy but lost control, faulted, missed easy returns, tried for nasty cut shots without the setup, and lost by eight points. The Warriors high-fived it and made a subdued exit. It didn’t feel exactly good, like a win; it felt like something bigger and darker had just played out.
They didn’t know the half of it, thought Maggie, still quiet with joy at the sight of Braelyn’s blood on the floor.
When Peter and Nola were escorted out, Landreaux and Emmaline followed. Braelyn’s bearlike father with the sore nose, and his wife, who was stocky and had a sensible Prince Valiant haircut, walked over to their pickup. There was no one in the lot to make sure the parents didn’t start another brawl, but the fight was out of the Wildstrands. And Maggie’s parents were embarrassed to be escorted out by Maggie’s science teacher. Mr. Hossel turned his soul-wounded gaze upon them, gestured apologetically with his scraped hands, and turned away. Nola was hyperventilating.
What if he takes back her A because of us?
We can bring Maggie back, said Emmaline to Peter, if you want to bring Nola home.
No, no, leave me alone, Nola gasped out. But Emmaline didn’t step away or change expression. Although her teeth were chattering, Nola wouldn’t get in the car. Mist had frozen in the air. Sparkling auras hung from each halogen light, cloaking the cars, frosted windshields, and gleaming asphalt with the peace of another world.
Emmaline nodded at the idling pickup. Braelyn’s parents! Mrs. isn’t even supposed to go to games. Last year she got suspended.
Before Nola could move, Emmaline put her arms around her and then released her so suddenly that the hug was over before Nola could even react.
We should stay here until the girls get to both cars, said Peter.
It wasn’t Maggie’s fault, said Landreaux. The ref blew the whistle while her hand was in the air.
The four of them stamped and beat their hands together against the cold.
Come on, said Peter, we’ll watch for Maggie from inside the car. He coaxed Nola to him, cajoled her along.
Nola gave Emmaline a long look as she turned away. It was something, the way Emmaline had hugged her. It hadn’t felt bad or good. She didn’t know how it had felt. Maybe normal was the way it felt.
Snow and Josette walked Maggie out the gym door. Braelyn passed but they stink-eyed her and she strode to her parents’ pickup.
How come she’s got it out for you?
She’s from my old school. I gave her brother Buggy the ball kick.
How come? asked Josette.
Maggie looked down at her feet and hunched her shoulders.
Oh, said Josette.
Guess they’re still mad, said Maggie.
No shit. She was gunning for you, said Snow.
They watched the pickup, with Braelyn in it, roar from the parking lot.
Oh my god! Holeee!
Diamond caught up with them.
You know your dad punched out Braelyn’s dad? Your mom spit on her mom?
You got a badass family, Diamond said.
Maggie jumped into her car’s backseat.
Mom? Dad?
Maggie?
Nice game, said Peter.
FATHER TRAVIS TURNED Emmaline’s words over.
Unfair. Not playing by the rules. Was that what she’d said when he’d talked to her after the tae kwon do class? He kept imagining that she’d replied with the same words as his, and stayed . . . But Emmaline had shoved his handkerchief back and left with LaRose. Her face, remarkably, had been neither red nor swollen, betraying no emotion, no sign that she had spoken wildly. Nor had she answered his declaration.