Chapter 5

The locker room is half empty; some of the guys have already gone home, but it’s still stuffy with the smell of sweat, shower gel, and the heat of bodies still fired up from the game.

When I push the door open, the conversation is still hanging in the air, but the second I walk in, the guys shut up and turn away toward their lockers. From their sideways looks and tense faces, it isn’t hard to guess who they were running their mouths about, and I take my time crossing to my locker, giving them a chance to take a shot at me.

Jake Finley is standing by the next row. He’s on the Golden Eagles’ bench, but today we played on the same team, and when he notices my look, the Black guy turns around and spreads his hands.

“Don’t look at me like that, Palmer. I don’t understand a damn thing either, okay? You don’t think one lunch at the same table means I’ve got you figured out, do you? Sorry, man, but they’re right, you’re sketchy as hell. Doesn’t mean I don’t like you, though, so I’m on your side. And I’m not the only one, just so you know! But if you’re planning to pull something with Wilson… don’t start. Don’t drag her into your shit with Renton!”

“You done?”

“Pretty much.”

I open my locker, peel off my athletic sweatshirt, shorts, and cleats, toss everything into my bag, grab a towel, and head for the shower.

Steam hangs in the shower room, water slaps the tile floor, and the guys are talking loudly enough for anyone who walks in to hear their laughter and every word.

I know they’re talking about me and Ashley as soon as I see Ronnie in here, along with Renton and his friend Hart.

“… Obviously they slept together. Matt isn’t the kind of guy you can jerk around and string along. I didn’t see it myself, but I know him better than you do. Girls were throwing themselves at him when he was fifteen and offering him everything. Trust me, he knows what to do with them. That’s why he bailed from Fever after the redhead. What do you care, though, Sean? Harding boring you already? Or is Kate a hell of a girl right up until she opens her mouth and turns into a goddamn bitch?!” Ronnie howls with laughter, not even trying to hold back, and I instantly regret not shortening his tongue earlier.

“Don’t worry, Salgato. If Kate opens her mouth for me, it’s only after I unzip my fly. I just got curious why Palmer hooked up with a girl I got tired of.”

“Got tired of?! H-ha! Sure looks like you’re ‘just curious,’ Renton. Tell that to Hart. Look, he’s already all ears! Don’t bother telling me. I noticed who you were staring at on the field. Deal with it, cap, Wilson is with Palmer now. And why he wants her is none of our damn business! That little redhead is hot as hell, we all saw that Saturday. And if Matt’s hard for her, I don’t envy you. She’s not picking you, man! They all pick him!”

Shit.

“I don’t give a shit! Palmer is asking for it, and he’ll pay! He should’ve stayed gone and kept out of my way! I’ll handle Wilson myself, and I won’t let anyone make a fool out of me! Not him, not Hurley!”

“We’ll see, Salgato, how fast your buddy gets bored of her,” Hart says. “Sean still popped her cherry, and girls don’t forget that. So Palmer’s the one who’s going to have to accept that he was born to be second! Ha… h…”

But Douglas Hart doesn’t get to laugh, because I yank him out from under the water by his thick neck and drive my fist under his ribs, making him blow out a loud breath and fold in half against the wall.

Ronnie gets the second one. I punch him in the face, and he earns it.

“For running your mouth about Ashley!”

Renton manages to turn around and square up in challenge, covering his shitty groin with one hand.

“What are you going to do to me, Palmer?” His mouth twists into a vicious smirk, and he knows damn well he’s tied my hands. “Come on, let’s see how tough you are, asshole! This time you’ll be kicked out of school faster than you get out of here!”

He has no idea how hard it is for me to hold myself back, not to smash his face so badly he forgets how to smile for good and forgets Ashley along with it. Right now my anger at him is as hot as it was during our first fight, and it eats through my blood with the same need to spill out immediately.

I act like I’m stepping aside, then suddenly lunge forward and put all my strength into the hit, slamming Renton with my shoulder. My hands clenched into fists, I let the rage out while trying to rein it in at the same time.

He was ready, but he still flies backward into the wall and slides down to the floor. Trying to get his breath back, he curses through his teeth.

I turn to him and speak in the calmest voice I can manage right now:

“Careful, Sean. It’s slippery in here! You tripped and ran into me, all because you spilled your shampoo. But don’t worry, I’m not hurt. I’d offer you a hand, but damn, what bad timing, I just jacked off in here over your success.”

“Fuck you… Bitch!”

“Palmer, you’re not getting away with this! I saw everything!”

I glance back and see big Hart gearing himself up to jump in and defend his friend… Or pretending to. This guy has more than twenty pounds on me, but he hesitates until the last second, and I get curious. If I were Hurley, I would have replaced him with Finley a long time ago, since Hart is short on both brains and nerve. Too bad Douglas’s mommy, who sits on the school parent committee, likes lacrosse so much.

I wait in silence, and he shuts up.

Well, when it comes to a fight, Renton’s friends are the same cowardly pieces of shit he is.

Without turning around, I hear Ronnie come up and stand behind me. For all his effort to get along with everyone, if it comes down to it, he’ll be on my side. Like now.

“Douglas, what are you talking about?” Salgato asks with convincing surprise, spitting bloody saliva onto the floor. “What you saw just now was my ass when you begged to scrub my back. Did you forget? Damn, man! Turns out your hands are so tender you’d better stay away from me, okay?! No offense, you’re great, but too hairy. Besides, I prefer girls. Matt can vouch for me.”

Moving to the wall and turning on the shower, Ronnie soaks a towel in cold water and presses it to his nose. After wiping off the blood, he addresses Renton with sympathy:

“Damn, Seanie, you’re not getting sick, are you? I noticed on the field you looked kind of pale and clumsy today. Want me to take you to the nurse? Good thing you fell into Matthew, or you could’ve hurt yourself on the tile, and we need a healthy captain. I’d offer you a hand, but see, your friend Hart was stroking my back so tenderly I couldn’t help myself and jerked off… I suffer from lifelong sexual incontinence, and when I’m in the shower, it’s a reflex.”

“Shut up, Salgato!” Renton snarls and gets up. “I’ll throw both of you off the team! You goddamn bastard,” he threatens, staring into my face with hatred, “I am still going to find out what you’re up to. Maybe you’ll pick up Kate after me too? Want a secret, Palmer?” He suddenly bares his teeth. “She’s way more cooperative than Ashley. You’ll like her!”