“I would have thought if he was so supportive of you, he would’ve given you more time to make the move.” Why would an honest mentor force an A-student to drop out in her final semester of high school? Arielle was not as bright as I’d thought.
“And maybe he would have helped you approach your parents. The way you did it put them through hell,” I said.
“They had different plans for me,” she said. “I know they’re disappointed.”
“They had hopes for you,” I corrected. “But they never knew your plans.”
“Marnie,” she said, “why are you being so hard on me?”
It was a good question. I wasn’t even sure. So instead of answering, I asked if she’d talked to Frank Comiskey. I’d given the journalist Arielle’s number. I thought she might trust his account of the allegations against Benedict more readily than she’d trusted mine.
“Yes,” she said.
“And?”
“I’m considering my options.”
I sighed. “Well,” I said, “I’m here, if you need help moving home. Or with anything else. For what it’s worth.”
“It’s worth a lot, Marnie,” she said quietly.
chapter twenty-six
Provincials were in Mississauga, outside Toronto. It was a two-hour drive from Stratford, so I was surprised to see Liam waiting in the parking lot when our bus pulled in.
He was leaning against his old beat-up Buick, his long legs crossed in front of him, his arms crossed over his chest. When I approached, he stood up straight, shifting uncertainly. “Your big day,” he said.
“It is,” I answered cautiously.
“You didn’t think I’d miss it, did you?”
I shrugged. “Hard to know what to think, these days.”
He looked at me, his eyes apologizing before his lips did. “You’ve been through a lot. I’m sorry I made you handle it all alone.”
“I made out okay,” I said. I looked over my shoulder. A few of the girls were filing into the arena.
“Marnie,” he said, “I know I did a terrible thing, leaving you by the side of the road like that.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I know,” he said. He looked miserable.
“I saw you waiting at that farmhouse,” I said. I wasn’t ready to forgive him, but I thought it might make him feel better to know I didn’t hate him. “Thanks for coming,” I added. “We can talk later. Come find me at the lunch break.”
He nodded. “Go on in. The troops need their leader. I’ll be watching from the front row.”
When it was our turn to move into the on-deck room, I gathered the girls around me. “We’re a team,” I told them. “Not exactly the same team as last year. Probably not the same team as we’ll be next year. But we’re talented. And we’re ready. Right?”
There was a murmur of agreement from the group.
“We’re counting on each other. That’s fine. But when it really comes down to it, each one of you is here for her own reasons. You each chose this,” I told them, looking at each girl in turn. “Nobody else can take it away.”
I looked at Shona. “Each one of us worries about making a mistake and letting the others down,” I said. “But that’s a waste of energy. It’s yourself that you need to be accountable to. Do right by you. The rest will take care of itself. I know we can do this. We’re ready. So let’s get it done!”
Our music began. “If you’re listening…” I took a deep breath and ran out onto the mats.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to all the cheerleaders in my past and present: my junior-high and high-school teammates; the lovely Pickering Dolphins Cheerleaders (that’s you, Kali!) who cheer on my sons’ teams; and especially those wonderful women (and a couple of men) from Critical Manuscript and Goal Girls who have been my own personal cheerleaders for the last five years. You folks make Durham Region the best place in Canada to live the writing life.
Nora Rock is a freelance writer and a college professor. She’s an avid fan of hockey and football, both the professional kind and the kind her sons play. Nora played high-school football herself and was a cheerleader for many years. She lives in Ajax, Ontario, with her husband and two sons.
Titles in the Series
orca sports
Absolute Pressure
Sigmund Brouwer
All-Star Pride
Sigmund Brouwer
Blazer Drive
Sigmund Brouwer
Boarder Patrol
Erin Thomas
Chief Honor
Sigmund Brouwer
Cobra Strike
Sigmund Brouwer
Crossover
Jeff Rud
Dead in the Water
Fly Away
Nora Rock
Flying Feet
James McCann
Hitmen Triumph
Sigmund Brouwer
Hurricane Power
Sigmund Brouwer
Jumper
Michele Martin Bossley
Kicker
Michele Martin Bossley
Maverick Mania
Sigmund Brouwer
Oil King Courage
Sigmund Brouwer
Paralyzed
Jeff Rud
Razor’s Edge
Nikki Tate
Rebel Glory
Sigmund Brouwer
Scarlet Thunder
Sigmund Brouwer
Slam Dunk
Kate Jaimet
Squeeze
Rachel Dunstan Muller
Thunderbird Spirit
Sigmund Brouwer
Tiger Threat
Sigmund Brouwer
Titan Clash
Sigmund Brouwer
Two Foot Punch
Anita Daher
Venom
Nikki Tate
Winter Hawk Star
Sigmund Brouwer
orca sports
For more information on all the books
in the Orca Sports series, please visit
www.orcabook.com.