Don't Tell Mother by Tara West

peered around the edge of the car.
    What I saw amazed me.
    I could almost hear Sophie’s silent scream as she pulled me back.
    Looking into my friends’ widened eyes, I had to cover my mouth to muffle my laughter.
    “What’s happening?” Krysta breathed.
    I knew they wouldn’t believe it. I couldn’t hardly believe it. “Paige ratted out Lowe.”
    All three jaws dropped. “What?” they simultaneously choked.
    I peered around the car one more time to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me. “She’s at the police car with her mother and the principal,” I said while turning back to my friends.
    Bob smiled. “Is Lowe cuffed yet?”
    At the risk of getting caught, that was one moment I had to witness—the ultimate humiliation of Coach Lowe. After the incident in the locker room this week, Mother had forced me to apologize to Lowe in front of the entire team. Either that or I’d have my computer and phone revoked and no sports for the entire year.
    Time for payback.
    Peeking around the car again, my vision was obscured by a tall pair of black clad legs.
    Stretching my neck upwards, I grimaced as I looked into my principal’s thunderous expression.
    ****
    Once Sparks realized we were there to bust Lowe’s beer fest, the cops allowed him to drive us home. Looking out the window at the lights from passing cars, I realized Sparks was very understanding about the whole thing, even letting Bob use his portable video game. Too bad I couldn’t convince Sparks to let us stay and see Lowe come out in cuffs.
    We’d been asking him a million questions, but he dodged almost every one. From what we could figure out, right before the party, Paige went crying to her mother that Lowe was going to get them drunk. We couldn’t figure out if Paige’s mom called the cops or Sparks or both. Didn’t matter. Lowe was so busted.
    What I didn’t understand was why Paige turned on Lowe. I thought they were buds. Guess I’d have to wait to find out. Once Sparks brought me home to Mother, I’d have no communication with the outside world until Monday.
    “You realize we probably won’t have a team.”
    “What?” Looking at his hardened gaze reflecting in his rearview mirror, I hadn’t realized Sparks was talking to me.
    Sparks cleared his throat. “District policy. The girls will be suspended from sports for a year.”
    “Oh, crap. I hadn’t thought of that.” They broke the law. They broke their contract. All athletes had to sign one stating that if they were caught consuming alcohol or doing drugs, they’d be suspended from sports for a year.

Shoulders slumped, I heaved an aggravated breath and rubbed my throbbing temple. Maybe I should have warned Sparks before the party. Then he could have stopped it and I’d still have a team.
    Or not.
    All Lowe and the team had to do was deny it. Make me out to be a jealous troublemaker. I would’ve ended up losing my cool and then I would’ve been kicked off the team.
    Oh well, what did it matter? Mother would probably take me out of sports once she found out I’d snuck out of the house. I knew she’d do it not caring how badly it would crush me; after all, she took away my Grandma. Too bad Grandma wouldn’t be there when Sparks brought me home. That would have made my punishment much more tolerable. Gawd, my life sucked. I just wanted to sink between the cracks in the seat cushions and disappear.
    Sparks dropped off Sophie first. He walked her to the front door and I watched as he talked with Sophie’s mother. Her mother’s squeal sounded much like an older version of Sophie’s cry. Instead of scolding Sophie, her mom embraced her, squeezing her so tight I thought Sophie’s head would pop off.
    Heat suffused my cheeks as I envied their tender moment. Why couldn’t Mother love me the way Sophie’s mom loved her?
    When we drove up to Krysta’s apartment, I could see her shifting in the seat in front of me, knowing she was nervous about Sparks knocking on her