Who is Mackie Spence? by Lin Kaymer Page B

pain in my right hand tells me yes. Yes, I have.
    â€œYou’re a dickhead,” Brody hisses at me.
    â€œBrody, shut it,” Coach growls. “I sure hope you two can get up, because I’m not going to help you.” Then he turns his back on us, and heads into the building.
    A few of the guys stand off to the side, watching. Ben walks over and gives me a hand up, his eyes wide as he looks from me to Brody.
    I walk ahead of Brody, into Coach’s office. The guys are wound up about the fight. I hear Cole say, “If Jeremy had any ’nads . . .”
    Coach sits behind his beat-up metal desk in his cinderblock office. He motions for us to be seated in a couple of straight-backed chairs facing the desk. Then he opens the thermos on his desk and pours himself a cup of coffee. He is not smiling.
    â€œSo what’s this all about?”
    Neither of us speaks.
    â€œOkay, tough guys. No talking, no running. That’s the deal. Either we settle this now or you’re both off the team. What’s it going to be?”
    â€œBrody’s got a problem because his ex asked me to Sadie One,” I grumble.
    â€œAsshole,” Brody shoots back.
    â€œI’m not going to warn you another time about your language,” Coach says, looking grimly at Brody.
    â€œSo, you boys figure the way to resolve this is to duke it out. That’s very manly of you. Did you stop to think that would get you kicked off the team? No? Well, then you’re not thinking today. Are you?”
    He takes another swallow from his cup. “Here’s what’s going to happen. Sadie One’s girls’ choice, right? So you’re going to let the girl choose. If she wants to go to the dance with Jeremy, then that’s the way it is. Brody, you can’t decide by yourself that someone’s your girlfriend. It’s a mutual thing. Got it? Jeremy, I sure hope you know what you’re doing because dating the ex of a teammate is a recipe for disaster. But that’s up to you.”
    He flaps a hand in exasperation and takes another sip from his cup.
    â€œIf the two of you can’t live with this situation then you’re no good to this team and you’re off. What’s it going to be?”
    Coach leans back in his chair and looks from Brody to me. His hands shake slightly.
    I break the silence first.
    â€œI didn’t say yes to Mackie to get to Brody. But I’m going to the dance, and I’ll see her for as long as she wants to see me.”
    â€œYou’re a real douche. But you’re not worth me losing my letter,” Brody responds.
    â€œSo is this a truce?” Coach asks. “I want to hear it from both of you. And I want to see a handshake and no more crap out of either of you for the rest of the season. Can you do that?”
    I sit up straighter and glance at Brody. “Okay. Unless you come at me first.”
    Brody looks like he wants to hit me again, immediately, then he relaxes.
    â€œRight,” he says. “Mac will get bored. Like tomorrow.”
    â€œYou’re not saying the words I want to hear, Mr. Cameron,” Coach says, drumming his fingers on his desk.
    Brody stares at Coach like he can’t believe he has to say something more, then he grins. “Okay, cool. Let the best man win, you know what I mean. Mac’s going to choose me soon enough,” he says.
    â€œShake hands. Now,” Coach orders and stands up to show he wants us to be done.
    I hold out my hand.
    Brody takes it, squeezes very hard, and forces a smile.
    Most of the guys have hung around in the locker room to find out what happened.
    Cole looks at me and asks, “So?”
    â€œWe’re still on the team.”
    Disaster averted. Brody avoids questions by snapping his towel and heading for the showers.
    I see Ben, already dressed, lounging on a workout bench.
    â€œLet’s go home,” I tell him, pulling my clothes out of my locker and stuffing them