Page 28 of Call the Shots
“Well, Mr. Moreau, answer my question. Why is astronomy important to learn about?”
“Oh—uh—it’s important because—uh—stars are in the sky, and we see them—in the sky?—”
“Disappointing,” Dr. Schulman cut me off. “I’ll see you Wednesday.”
In the hallway, I stopped June from leaving. “What the hell was that?”
“Get out of my class.”
“No. This’ll be the easiest A I’ve ever scored.”
“You’re insufferable.”
“It’s shitty living with you.”
“The only thing you’re good for is getting your head knocked on the ice.”
“The biggest mistake my brother made was putting his dick inside you.”
She got up in my space, her green eyes flashing with anger. “You’re an antisocial spoiled-rotten man-child who can’t wash his owndishesor do his ownlaundry.”
“Says the homecoming queen who thinks she’s so perfect, but to your fucking shock, you’rerightwhere you’re supposed to be, in the gutter with the rest of us.”
“You know what, Bear?”
“What?”
“I’m positive you deserve everything the Kérouacs did to you.”
Those couple of words sliced me down the middle. I was silent while June stalked down the hallway, leaving only the smell of perfume. I didn’t have anything to say to that. Nothing at all.
CHAPTER 11
JUNE
SHOUTING AT THE TROJAN HORSE
Leavingthe hockey players to their own devices was clearly not the way to go. In the days leading to their first exhibition practice, Denali, Cleo, and I scoured the campus to track down the last of them.
The Gladiators hadn’t even been on the ice together. How could this possibly go well?
“This is a bad idea,” I whispered to Cleo again.
Cleo motioned towards Denali. “Tell someone who people will listen to. Because I’m the oracle, shouting about the Trojan horse. No one cares what I say.”
Outside the locker room, I spotted the only two people who could lift my anxious mood, King and his little sister Jasmine. Jasmine usually ran over for a hug, but she was deep in an argument with her brother, who looked kind of…exhausted?
“Jasmine!” I waved, jogging up to meet them.
She crossed her little arms in a show of defiance. “Shehasto come to my birthday party?—”
“I’m coming for your birthday.” I crouched down to pull her into a hug. “I have to leave early for a family thing but I’m coming for breakfast to makecrêpes!”
“No, not you. My favorite!”
“Favorite?” I echoed and shot a glance at King. “She has a new favorite?”
“Willow’s my new favorite,” Jasmine answered. “She sings beautiful and she’s so pretty and she’s coming to my party and King’s being a butthead?—”
