Page 101 of Better Than Revenge

“I did,” Theo answered.

Maxwell let out a huff, as if he had thought he was going to have to add something to Lee’s declaration, but Theo admitting to it so easily took the wind out of his sails.

“We’re leaving,” Deja said, and I didn’t stop them as they pulled me away. I didn’t stop them as they led me to the parking lot telling me I did amazing and saying we should celebrate my awesomeness with diner fries.

All I said was “I need to shower first. Can I meet you all there?”

I GOT OUT OF THEcar back at my house thinking that maybe going to the diner with my friends would make me feelbetter. Because all I felt now was nothing. I wasn’t proud of my performance. I wasn’t happy karma gave Jensen what he deserved. I felt emptied out.

I clung to the laces of my cleats as I walked in the house. The living room was full. Mom, Dad, Grandma, and even Corey were gathered around the couch. They were all wearing shirts with sharks on them and headbands with a fin sticking straight out of the middle of their heads. I was confused. “What’s going on?”

“We were wondering the same thing,” Dad said, pulling off his headband and tossing it onto the coffee table.

“What? Did you go somewhere today?” I asked.

“Didyou?” Mom returned. She lifted a sign by her feet that had big sparkly words on it that spelled outGO FINLEY!

I was even more confused. “Did you try to go to the football stadium?” Had they closed the gates? How had they heard about me trying out for the position? And what did sharks have to do with kicking a football?

“We were in Pismo, loser,” Corey said from where he sat on the couch. He had a smirk on his face, but I could tell even he was annoyed.

“Pismo?” And then it hit me like a slap to the face. The triathlon I’d told them about weeks ago. That was today. I was supposed to have confessed by now about what I was really doing. And even if I hadn’t, I never expected them to actually go to the triathlon. Especially not my grandma who didn’t get out that much. I could tell that the morning exhausted her by how flushed her cheeks were. “Oh no.”

“Explain,” Dad said.

“I’m so sorry. I was trying out to be kicker for the school’s football team.”

“Kicker?” Mom said.

“I probably made it,” I added, as if that would help this situation. The emptiness that had settled in my chest seemed to be double in size now.

“Jensen’s position?” Dad asked.

“Yeah…he, uh…he made it as host of the podcast.” I wished like never before that I had explained the whole situation earlier.

“Oh!” Grandma said with a clap of her hands. “He’ll be so good at that.”

I bit the insides of my cheeks, reminding myself she didn’t understand how much those words hurt.

“I don’t understand,” Mom said. “He tried out for the podcast?”

“Yes, and made it. And I didn’t. I’m sure you remember. And it sucked. And I was angry. So I tried out for kicker.”

“And he’s cool with that?” Corey asked.

“No! Of course he’s not cool with that! That was kind of the point.”

My words seemed to be sinking in for everyone in the room except my grandma, whose flushed cheeks were accompanied by drooping shoulders.

Corey’s eyes got wide, and then he smiled. “Nice.”

Mom’s brows shot down. “You tried out for revenge?”

“Revenge?” Grandma said. “Finley wouldn’t do that. She’s much too mature for that.”

“I’m not, Grandma. Obviously, I’m not…” My voice trailedoff.

Dad cleared his throat. “I wish you hadn’t lied to us.” He nodded toward the sparkly sign. “We walked around all morning looking for you. We were so worried.”

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