Edenville Owls

Chapter 21

We were trailing against Pinefield by one point with seventeen seconds to go when I got fouled and went to the line for two free throws. I was a good ball-handler, but I was a terrible foul-shooter, and all of us knew it. If I hit them both, we would take the lead. I missed them both and felt like I wanted to crawl in a hole. The Pinefield center, a guy named Lou, got the rebound and fired a pass downcourt to one of his forwards for the insurance basket. Nick intercepted and passed to me, alone downcourt, still near the foul line, wanting to die. I took two dribbles and laid the ball in and we won. Nick had saved me. He and I ran to each other and hugged. The other Owls joined in and we did a kind of little dance in the middle of the court, while Pinefield walked sullenly off.

Afterward we hitchhiked back to Edenville.

Nick said to me, “You still friends with Joanie?”

“Sure,” I said. “You?”

“We’re still going out,” Nick said.

“Anything hot going on?” Russell said.

Nick smiled at him.

“You don’t know,” he said. “Do you?”

“Bobby don’t care,” Russell said. “He’s in love with Miss Delaney.”

“How’s that going?” Nick said to me. “You finding anything out?”

“I’m getting there,” I said.

“What’d you find out?” Russell asked.

“You don’t know, do you?” I said.

“Man!” Russell said. “Nobody tells me anything.”

Nick and I looked at each other for a minute. But neither of us said anything.

“You think he’s still bothering her?” Billy said.

“Yes,” I said.

“You been spying on them?” Russell said.

“I keep an eye out,” I said.

“You seen him?” Manny said.

I didn’t even know Manny was interested.

“Yes,” I said.

“He see you?” Billy said.

“Not yet,” I said.

“Whaddya mean ‘not yet’?” Russell said.

“Nothing. I just mean he hasn’t seen me yet.”

“You think he will?” Nick said.

“Maybe,” I said. “I mean, you hang around long enough, you may get spotted.”

Nick looked at me.

“You got some kind of scheme,” he said.

I shrugged.

“You got a plan,” Nick said. “Don’t you?”

“I’m trying to figure it out,” I said.

“You could get into bad trouble,” Billy said.

“If I do, you guys can save me,” I said.

“Have to,” Nick said. “Joanie would kill me if I didn’t help you.”

“Hell,” Russell said. “She’d kill us all.”

“I’ll let you know,” I said.

Nick grinned.

“Owl patrol at the ready,” he said.