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head that I would never follow in his footsteps. Then I’d be free. Free to be friends with anyone I wanted. Free to date anyone I wanted…
    Clenching my jaw, I stared at Savannah’s back. Obviouslyshe was sick. She should be seeing a doctor right now, not trying to tough it out in school. She would have passed clean out if I hadn’t caught her.
    A foot kicked the side of my leg. What the…? I turned to my left to find Anne Albright glaring at me.
    â€œQuit staring,” she hissed.
    I scowled at her, hoping she’d back off and leave me alone. The last thing I needed was somebody else telling me what to do. Especially today.
    I went back to staring at Savannah. Anne kicked me again, the little wench. The sting spread up the side of my calf. I bit back another curse. That better heal before practice.
    â€œAnne, keep your feet to yourself please,” Mr. Chandler warned from his desk. “Or do I need to put you in time-out?”
    Nice. I grinned.
    â€œNo, sir,” Anne muttered, sounding murderous. But at least she didn’t kick me anymore.
    When the final bell rang, I jerked in my desk, my nerves strung as tight as if I were on the field at game time. Finally, Savannah could go home. Or even better, to a doctor.
    Anne got up, circled around to Savannah’s desk and shook her awake. “Hey, Sav, time to go home.”
    â€œUngh,” Savannah groaned. She tried to stand, but her legs gave out.
    I jumped to my feet without thinking it through. “Need some help?”
    â€œNot from you, no.” Anne slung one of Savannah’s pale arms over her shoulders so she could pull her up.
    â€œStop, this looks ridiculous,” Savannah croaked.
    â€œOh, who cares, pretty princess?” Anne snapped. “Let’s go. Gotta get you to your grandma’s car now, and it’s a long walk.”
    Yeah, talk about ridiculous. They would take forever to getto the parking lot, and I could carry Savannah there in about five seconds. She probably weighed all of fifty pounds. Only problem was all the witnesses we’d have. The Clann elders—especially my parents—would hear about it through the local grapevine before I could even get home from practice.
    So I stood there and did nothing, grinding my teeth and feeling like a grade A jerk for letting Anne help Savannah out of the classroom all by herself. Then I saw Savannah’s backpack and books still under her desk. At least I could do this without attracting Clann attention.
    The girls had made faster progress than I’d figured. They were near the parking lot by the time I caught up with them. Knowing Anne would bite my head off again if I took Savannah’s free arm to help, I stayed a few paces back.
    Anne didn’t say anything to me as she guided Savannah into the passenger seat of a car waiting at the curb. “Mrs. Evans, she’s really sick,” Anne told the driver through the open passenger door. “I’m pretty sure she’s running a fever. She wasn’t feeling good at lunchtime, either, said she was tired and didn’t eat anything.”
    â€œHmm. Okay, thank you, Anne. I’ll get her home and fixed right up,” Savannah’s grandmother promised. I snuck a peek at her. She looked like a sweet, little old lady, her cheeks round and rosy as she smiled at Anne. Then her gaze darted over to lock onto me, and I jerked upright again. The woman had eyes like a hawk. I’d be willing to bet Savannah got away with nothing at home. That woman wouldn’t miss a thing, old or not.
    â€œHere’s her stuff,” I told Anne, holding out Savannah’s backpack and books.
    Anne’s eyes narrowed as she snatched them from me then set them in Savannah’s lap.
    Savannah’s head never lifted from the seat’s headrest.
    I waited until the car exited the parking lot. Then I turned and started for the field house.
    â€œHey!” Anne’s voice