Her face went red and hot. She tried to get up, but her ankle hurt and she eased back down. Her knee was skinned, a grid of droplets.
“What are you doing down there?”
“I fell!”
“I can see that!”
Then why did you ask? Jill would have said. But Allie didn’t.
“Come on!”
“Just go! I’m fine!”
“What’s your name again?” Sasha came down the incline, her sleek ponytail swinging back and forth. She had on a wide black headband that Allie could never wear because they popped off her head.
“Allie Garvey.”
“Are you in my class?” Sasha reached Allie and stood over her.
“Yes, in the other section. I live in Brandywine Hunt, too, on Percheron.” Allie realized she was answering questions she hadn’t been asked. She didn’t know how to act around Sasha Barrow, who was wearing blue mascara. Allie hadn’t even known that mascara came in colors.
“I’m on Pinto.”
“I know,” Allie said, then regretted it, wiping her brow. Sasha wasn’t sweating and smelled like vanilla. Allie sweated like a pig and smelled like cellulite.
“Okay, so get up, Allie.”
“Please, go back with the others. I’ll be fine.”
“Try!” Sasha’s pursed lips glistened with pink gloss.
“I’m not going to make the team.”
“Duh.”
Allie’s mouth went dry. She felt nervous around Sasha Barrow. She tried to think of what Jill would have said. Jill had attitude.
“Allie. You really can’t get up?”
And then, Allie did it. For one moment, she summoned Jill’s spirit and said exactly what Jill would have said. “If I could, would I be sitting where worms could crawl in my vagina?”
Sasha burst into laughter, and Allie could see why Sasha was popular, and it wasn’t only that she was pretty. There was a wild spark about her, a natural confidence.
“I’ll try to get up.” Allie shifted.
Suddenly Sasha pointed down the hill. “Look,” she whispered. “What are they up to?”
Allie turned to see that two boys in tennis whites were digging under the base of a tree with a sharp bend in its trunk, at the bottom of the hill. Leafy branches covered the boys from view, but Allie recognized David Hybrinski right away. He was dreamy, with a great smile even though he never had braces. His hair was thick and wavy, a reddish-brown color, and he was tall, with a muscular body that made him look older. Allie always saw him hitting against the backboard at the tennis courts while Jill was swimming the laps that were supposed to increase her lung capacity. When David hit the ball over the fence, he’d call to the kids, little help, please, and they’d fetch the ball for him like puppy dogs.
“Who’s the boy with David?” Allie whispered.
“Julian Browne. He lives across the street from me, but he goes to Lutheran now.” Sasha’s eyes glittered. “Let’s bust them.”
“What?” Allie asked, but Sasha was already cupping her hands around her mouth.
“Hey, down there! Freeze, this is the police! You’re under arrest!”
The boys looked up, startled, then burst into relieved laughter, which echoed in the quiet woods. Sasha pulled Allie to her feet, looping an arm around her shoulders, and started down the hill with her, while Allie smoothed her hair back, trying to look good, though this wouldn’t have been the day she’d pick to meet David Hybrinski. She’d sweated off her flesh-toned Clearasil, and her long brown curls frizzed. At least her braces were finally off and her eyes were a nice blue, but boys weren’t into eyes. She pulled her damp T-shirt away from her body, so David couldn’t see the blubber that made her belly button into a big O, like a mouth shouting, LOOK AT MY FAT!
They got closer, and Sasha called out, “What are you doing?”
“Nothing!” Julian was shorter than David and handsome in a preppy way, with hazel eyes, a refined nose, and a small mouth with thin lips. His hair was straight, brown, and shiny, and he looked lean in a white T-shirt that said CRT SPORTS CAMP. He covered whatever they were digging, then stood up as the girls reached the bottom of the hill.
“What’s going on?” Sasha let go of Allie, as the boys stood side by side. Their bicycles and backpacks lay on the ground nearby.
“I told you, nothing,” Julian repeated, his smile sly.
“Buried treasure,” David added. “Gold doubloons.”
“Come on, what is it?” Sasha took a step toward them. “Tell me.”
David noticed Allie and flashed her a smile. “I know you. You’re in the other section.”
“Yeah, and I live in the development, too.” Allie couldn’t believe David Hybrinski knew who