The Winner's Game(46)

Jody is still all smiles. “Look, I’m really sorry you got the boot like that, guys, but you’ve got to admit, that was hilarious.” Nobody seems relieved by her comments. “Believe it or not, the director is actually a pretty nice guy. On any other day he’d probably have been rolling on the ground laughing, maybe even worked Cade’s ad-lib into the scene.”

“What makes today so special?” I ask.

“He was meeting all morning with the producers discussing the budget. That’s why he was late on the set. Right now the production costs are running high, so he’s a little stressed. Unfortunately, he took it out on you guys.”

“It’s still unbelievably embarrassing,” Mom says to Jody, even though she’s looking right at Cade. “Girls, aren’t you embarrassed?”

“No,” snaps Bree. Everything about her exudes venom—her voice, her glare, the expression on her face, even the way her muscles tense when she looks at our brother. “I’m just mad. At Pea Brain. For ruining our one chance to be in a movie!”

“He’s not the only pea brain,” I whisper, looking at Bree.

“Well, look, I really am sorry about this,” Jody tells everyone. Turning just to me, she says, “Most of all for you. But keep your chin up. I’m sure everything is going to be OK.” She pats me on the shoulder and then trots off.

Wait. What did she just say?

I could scream. Before I get the chance, Mom tells everyone to get in the car. “C’mon. I want to get home.” Her cheeks are flushed; she looks guilty.

Bree and Cade pile in, but I remain firmly in place. “You played the heart card, didn’t you, Mom? To get us in the movie.”

“I only said that you’ve been sick, and that you were really looking forward to it. They were happy to make room for us once they knew the situation.”

Uh-huh. Likely story.

I cross my arms. “Did you tell them I might die?”

Mom is completely silent.

Guilty as charged. “You did! Oh my gosh! That’s so hypocritical! You’re always telling me how everything is going to be fine, but you go tell complete strangers that I’m some freak who needs a new heart so they’ll take pity on me?”

“It wasn’t like that. You’re blowing it out of proportion. All I did was tell them the facts.”

“So we could get in the movie.”

“Yes! Isn’t that what we came here for?”

All I can do is shake my head. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want pity. Not from you, not from the family, and certainly not from strangers on a movie set. I’m tired of being the girl who always gets coddled. And I don’t want to be the girl with ‘the heart.’ I just want to be the girl.” I toss the car key at my mom. “You better drive. Poor, pitiful Ann is not in the mood.”





              Chapter 16





Cade




LAST YEAR, on the Fourth of July, I remember watching them light the first fuse at the fireworks show we went to at the park by our house. It was really dark, so even from a distance I could see the fuse burning. I knew it was going to blow, I just didn’t know when. Everyone must’ve known it was time, because the crowd got all quiet. Finally a dark shadow shot off into the sky, then a few seconds later the world exploded in orange and red.

The ride home from Astoria is kind of like that. For several blocks, there is nothing but silence in the car. I know the fuses have been lit…it’s just a matter of waiting for someone to blow up.

I’m not surprised that Bree’s fuse ends up being the shortest, or that her mortar is pointed right at me. “I hate you so much! Why do you always have to ruin everything, Cade?”

The way she says it, I don’t doubt that she truly hates me. But being hated like that sets me off too. “Not more than I hate you. You’re the meanest, ugliest person in the whole world!”

“And you’re the stupidest!”

I guess Ann doesn’t want to miss out on the fireworks either, because she quickly pops off. “Have you checked the mirror lately, Bree? I bet you’d find someone stupider than him looking back at you. If you hadn’t opened your big mouth, you and I could’ve still been in the movie.” To make sure I understand that she’s not taking sides, Ann also says, “But you’re right, he is really stupid.”

“I happen to love what I see in the mirror, O Boring One!” Bree screams. “It’s called ‘beauty.’ But you wouldn’t know about that.”

“Then I guess you didn’t see the new zit on your nose, huh? It’s been getting bigger all day.”