65 | Intruder Alert

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When Rosalie could at last move her feet, several other girls followed her lead. The shock manifested in a wave of adrenaline that pushed her forward, the sensation piercing her in the chest like a knife at the hands of the girl now towering over Joanna Spencer. Joanna Spencer—the person Rosalie had always seen as impervious, immovable, unafraid.

When Rosalie marched across the circle, Ray was on her heels. As soon as they put themselves at either side of Dylan, blocking Joanna, Rosalie startled at the sound of Joanna's sneakers squeaking on the turf. When she glanced over her shoulder, Joanna was scrambling to her feet.

Joanna skidded on the grass, pushing off with enough speed to take her to the back door of the arena. Rosalie nearly went after her if The Mountain wasn't moving in front of her. She steeled herself like she was on the frontline of a penalty shot. The girl grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her so hard, she tripped and slammed into Juliana.

Dylan grabbed the girl by her arm and used her momentum to spin her around. He grabbed her by the front of her sweatshirt, but she had him by the throat in an instant.

Rosalie never witnessed anything like it outside of the movies, and evidently, neither had Dylan. "Shit," he cursed, dropping the stranger in an instant. He gasped as soon as she let go in favor of chasing after Joanna. The back door slammed shut, echoing across the field until the girl yanked it open and disappeared after her.

The blonde girl tried to go after them, but Alyssa caught her by the wrist and flung her back into the center of the Knight circle. Lennie was off the bench, watching from afar as Rosalie debated staying to question the girl or going after the one who was on the hunt for Joanna.

"You stay," Dylan said, pointing to Rosalie. "Lennie and I can catch up with Joanna."

"We can?" Lennie droned, clearly not thrilled by the idea.

Dylan gave him an annoyed look before running off to the back door. Lennie sighed and jogged after him, leaving the Knights to question the culprit.

Before they could ask a single question, however, Coach Maguire blew the whistle. "Ladies! I don't see you warming up over there!" Coach shouted. "And where the hell is Spencer?"

Rosalie couldn't find her voice any more than the rest of them could. Thankfully, Juliana scraped together enough sense to shout back, "We're on it, Coach!"

Alyssa dropped the girl's arm and shoved her away. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

The girl brushed off the sleeves on her sweater before propping her hands on her cocked hips and saying, "I'm Joey's friend."

"No you aren't," Rosalie said, sharper than she intended. She caught the rest of her retort in her throat, her harsh gaze locking with the girl's dark brown eyes. "Why did she call you... darling? Did you guys—"

"What, date?" the girl said, and she barked out a loud, high-pitched laugh that had nearly every girl in the circle flinching. "Of course not. My name's Darlene. Everyone just calls me Darling."

Rosalie couldn't deny that she sighed in relief. She looked at all of the other girls, and then stuck on Ray, who raised an eyebrow at her as if to say, "Possessive much?" Rosalie scowled at her. She couldn't have been the only one thinking it, considering how common of a pet name 'darling' was.

Darling clasped her hands together over the front of her skirt, her doll-like curls swishing to the side as she tipped her head and said, "We're just deciding on what school to attend! My mother wants me at Adams, but Georgie's so fond of Joey. Maybe we'll get to shadow your team next, since you're going to Regionals and all. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Georgie, Rosalie repeated, glancing at the back door. Her eyes locked with Juliana's, but Juliana had turned pale, her freckles more noticeable. Darling had effectively ruined their pre-practice buzz.

On top of that was the obvious mention of shadowing Adams. Around her, her teammates groaned and mentally prepared themselves for Coach's surprise guests. So it seems Adam High is our scrimmage rival for the month, Rosalie thought, visibly paling.

"Ladies!" Coach Maguire shouted again, and Juliana let out a squeak as they all realized that Coach was closing in on them. They all turned, and it was then that Coach realized who was at the center of attention.

Coach snapped a finger at Darling and said, "If you aren't practicing, get off the field."

"Yes, ma'am!" Darling said, clicking her heels together and saluting her before bounding off to the stands. Jade was on the field, fascinated by the commotion, and so Coach pegged her with a scathing look. Jade hurried back to her post off of the playing field.

They all scattered back to their spots in the circle, but it left one spot open where Joanna used to be. Coach took that spot, arms crossed, and searched the team for a mental headcount. At last, she said, "Spencer still isn't here. Where the hell did she run off to."

Rosalie swallowed hard, her body still tense from having been thrown by Darling's friend. Georgie, she thought again, flinching when Coach's eyes landed on her. "I... don't know," she confessed. "Dylan and Lennie went to get her."

They went through warmups without Joanna. Coach didn't look pleased, which didn't help the fact that every girl on the team was on edge—the ones who knew, even more so. Rosalie shared nervous looks with Juliana and Ray through stretches, and like all the rest of them, continued to eye Darling as their impending doom spiraled into the Lions pit.

Darling was reclined on the bleachers, shaking out a stick of bubble gum and holding it out to Jade. Jade shook her head, looking disturbed by the newcomer. Rosalie didn't blame her, though Jade didn't have the slightest clue as to what the girls at Kaiserslautern were involved with. I guess Darling's unnerving with or without that knowledge, she thought, bending over so her forearms pressed into the turf, her cleats spread wide.

She counted to ten, at which point, the back door clanged open. At once, Rosalie was standing straight, searching for Joanna. Instead, she found Darling's friend being escorted back towards the bleachers with Dylan and Lennie in tow. She looked hopefully at them, but Lennie offered a shrug instead.

Coach turned to Rosalie after seeing her two new assistants come up empty, Joanna Spencer out of sight.

"Maybe... she had a medical emergency," Rosalie said. "She did just get her piercings taken out."

She could tell Coach was as far from pleased as she could get. "Let's just start up," Coach muttered.

Their rival team entered the arena in a flurry of chatter and footsteps that echoed from the entrance. Without their jerseys on, Rosalie couldn't recognize the Adam players as well. Though, judging by the way Jade jumped from the stands, it was obvious that her assailant was among them.

#5 was the most recognizable from the bunch, especially after Jade's kick to the head that landed her in the hospital. The girl was an absolute bulldozer, suspended for the season, but back to kick Bradshaw's ass now that it was over. Rosalie wondered if the Lions were vengeful enough to injure Bradshaw's best players before Regionals, but evidently, Coach Maguire wasn't concerned.

Rosalie turned to look at Juliana, who was looking horrified between the Lions and Jade, who stared at them all through the plexiglass like a confused animal in a zoo. "Why would Coach bring Adams in?" Juliana asked, just as disturbed as the rest of them.

"Proximity, skill, you name it," Rosalie said with a dejected sigh. Coach wouldn't change her mind now, and Rosalie had already decided what she thought of Lions on their turf. It was a good idea. "They'll definitely help us. More than any other school in the conference."

"Doesn't mean I'll like it," Ray muttered, arms crossed. She scoffed and shook her head. "Now we can kick their asses three times over."

The Lions were eyeing them up, and soon, cardio was completely abandoned in favor of a staring contest between the Lions and the Knights over centerfield. The sour looks the Adam girls were giving them told Rosalie they were still bitter about losing the conference.

Coach's earsplitting whistle was intended to break the tension, but it just increased it further. "Girls, meet the Adam High senior varsity players. Lions, meet my girls. We'll be seeing a lot of each other during the coming weeks."

"Joy," Rosalie heard one of them mutter. Player #18, the same one who kneed Joanna in the nose and snapped her glasses. Rosalie resisted the urge to scowl, but Ray, on the other hand, pounded her fist into her open palm like she was about to beat them all to a bloody pulp.

They went through practice scrimmages with their new lineup, which left Rosalie and the others on the sidelines. As much as she wanted to focus on their new lineup, she couldn't keep her eyes off of Darling and Georgie. Darling was on her phone, blowing bubbles with her gum. As each bubble popped, the time ticked on. Rosalie found herself staring at Georgie, who looked pissed to be sitting next to Dylan Cox. Dylan was leant over his knees, hands clasped together, his attention split between the practice and Georgie. Georgie's tight braid ran down the length of her spine, ending just a few mere inches from the hem of her jeans. Her broad features only emphasized her death glare when she caught Rosalie staring.

Georgie stared back at her. Rosalie couldn't bring herself to look away. Her eyes narrowed, and something loosened in her chest when a smile spread across Georgie's lips. The air in her lungs whistled out. Georgie had the sort of smile lines that bracketed her chin, deepening with the breadth of her murderous smile.

Rosalie shivered and looked away. She swallowed hard and tried to focus on the game, though every couple of seconds, her skin crawled. Georgie was still staring at her through the plexiglass, she knew it.

I wonder what Georgie did to make Joanna look so terrified, she wondered. Joanna never mentioned someone named Georgie

Though, she pictured the girls Joanna described, the ones at the top tier of Kaiserslautern's Fußball team. Ardens "puppies", as she called them. There was one protective one Joanna described as a mountain.

"I think that's Arden's best friend," Rosalie whispered to whoever was listening. Ray turned to her, eyes wide, and shared a look with Juliana, who was posted at Rosalie's other side.

"What do we do?" Juliana asked.

"Where the hell did Joanna go anyway?" Ray said.

Rosalie shook her head. "I have no clue. It sounds like Darling's mom isn't in the Sisterhood. If she was—"

"They'd be shadowing us right now. Shit, you're right. Maybe they'll be stuck at Adams," Ray said.

"Here's to hoping," Juliana sighed, shaking her head. She put a hand to her forehead and laughed bitterly. "This just confirms everything. Jesus."

"Oy vey it is," Rosalie whispered, a hand over her stomach. She felt the nausea from hearing Joanna's voice relaying the story over in the bedroom, in the light of the pool table lamp. She shook her head, trying to quell the sensation, but she couldn't stop picturing Joanna tripping on the turf during her getaway. As if Joanna ever lost balance like that—Lennie dragging her into the lazy river and Darling barreling into her excluded.

Coach called practice early, promising overtime on Sunday. Rosalie was on the move before Coach even finished her spiel. She kicked her cleats off and slipped her sneakers on, not even bothering with her jacket as Ray joined her at the bench. The plexiglass was still between them and their unwelcome spectators.

"Maybe she's in the parking lot," Rosalie whispered to her.

"Yeah, and if she isn't? Do you even have a ride?" Ray asked. Rosalie hesitated, her duffle strap clenched in her fists. She met Ray's eyes. "Do you know where she lives?"

She felt ashamed to shake her head, but it was the truth. She never once visited the Spencer household.

"Text her," Ray ordered.

Rosalie nodded, wordless. Everything felt too heavy on her tongue, and it made speaking out loud difficult. She took her phone out and began texting Joanna, but in the process of opening up their messages, she became distracted by commotion near the bleachers.

She looked down the field wall where the gap between the bleachers and the plexiglass showed Georgie's eyes on her. The girl was on her feet, but Dylan cut in front of her, his arm out. Darling lowered her phone to watch the staring contest until Georgie eyed the rest of the Knights watching through the glass, staring at her like she was some sort of animal. She shook Dylan's arm off of her and turned to Darling.

"I'm done here. Let's go, Darling," Georgie said. She jerked her head in the direction of the exit.

Darling sprung up at once, skirt swishing as she leapt from the bleachers and to Georgie's side. She hooked arms with Georgie and waved to Alyssa through the glass as she passed. "Bye, ladies! Nice meeting you!" Darling said, and topped it off by blowing a kiss.

Alyssa wrinkled her nose at the girl, already in a sour mood for being benched.

Darling skipped off with Georgie, who didn't look back as they exited the field with the rest of the Lions. Coach Maguire was waving to Lions' coach, laughing at something the woman said. Rosalie couldn't wait to get out of the arena parking lot.

Before they could leave, Rosalie was stopped by Brynn, whose eyes were wide, her blue bun drooping from practice. "Those girls—they're from Kaiserslautern, aren't they?" she said.

Rosalie nodded, looking back at the rest of the team. Many were already dispersing, but those that remained were familiar faces from the pool table room. Dylan looked like he wanted to chase after Georgie and Darling, but Rosalie raised her hand to stop him.

"I'll... text you guys once I know what's going on," Rosalie promised. She turned to Ray, who gave her a stiff nod. "We need to find Joanna."


***


Joanna's car was gone from the parking lot, and with it, Rosalie's hope that they'd be able to find her. Rosalie slowed on the arena curb, Dylan, Ray, and Lennie behind her. When Ray asked if Joanna's car was still there, Rosalie shook her head.

"I've texted her, too. Let you know if I hear anything back," Dylan told them, stepping out into the parking lot with a meager wave. Ray raised her hand up in passing, stepping off the curb ahead of Rosalie. Rosalie followed after her to Lennie's blue Maserati.

In the car, they realized there wasn't much they could do when they didn't know Joanna's address and Joanna had yet to text back to any of them. Rosalie kept her phone on her lap, tapping her finger to her lip impatiently as Lennie drove down the boulevard between Bradshaw and Maple Grove. Ray glanced around the passenger's seat to look at Rosalie, who shook her head.

"This is fucked," Ray commented.

"Yeah, it is," she whispered. "Did you see the way Georgie looked at me?"

"Yeah. Serial-killer crazy. Did you see the way she grabbed Dylan? I thought she was gonna snap his neck."

"I wouldn't go that far," Lennie sighed, one hand on the wheel. He turned down Rosalie's road, and she went out of the car to open the gated entryway. When she entered again, he said, "But... I am worried."

"About Joanna?" Ray drawled, unconvinced. Lennie shrugged. "She called you a cunt and nearly drowned you."

"Yeah, but I didn't drown, now did I?" he said.

Ray rolled her eyes, looking back at Rosalie as if to say, "Can you believe this guy?"

Rosalie smiled, but it felt more like a grimace. "You two are cute together."

Ray halted at that. Her cheeks flushed pink as she turned to look at Lennie. Through the rear view mirror, Rosalie caught the hint of a smile crinkling the corner of his eyes. Ray shoved him in the arm and, turning back around, flipped Rosalie off. Rosalie laughed as she gathered up her things and bid them goodbye when Lennie pulled up next to her house.

She stepped out onto the driveway, looking up from her duffle as Lennie pulled away down the road.

She stopped at the sight of Joanna's car in her driveway.

She glanced after Lennie's Maserati before stepping up the driveway. She slowed at Joanna's driver's side, but she found the backseat and the front seat empty. Her mother's car wasn't in the driveway, but since it was the weekend, Rosalie could only imagine where her mother went. Chances were, Jenn Mason would be back home before long.

Rosalie took out her keys and hurried to the front door. She jumped the steps two at a time and hurriedly unlocked the door. Her duffle slipped to her elbow as she fumbled with the keys, her index finger throbbing as she swung the door open. Khoshekh wasn't in sight, so she cruised inside and kicked the door shut behind her, looking across the foyer. She leant over to peer into the kitchen, but all seemed quiet.

"Hello?" she called out.

There was no answer.

After locking the front door, she tossed her duffle in the laundry room along with her shoes before stepping hesitantly through the kitchen. She leant around the archway over the living room. All was quiet.

Rosalie skirted through the kitchen, more jittery now than she was before. What the hell was Joanna's mom's car doing in her driveway? Empty? Rosalie hurried up the stairs to her room, heart pounding in her throat.

When she came to her room, the door was half-closed. She swung it open.

"I'VE GOT A BAT AND I KNOW HOW TO USE IT!"

Rosalie screamed bloody murder. She threw her arms up as Joanna came out from behind the door, swinging Rosalie's little league bat from elementary school over her shoulder. Joanna skidded to a halt, eyes wild, hair mused in a disarray. She looked like the crazy apocalypse nut from a horror movie.

"It's just me!" Rosalie cried, holding her hands out. Joanna lowered the bat, gasping. "Holy Mother of God, Joanna! You had me worried sick. How the Hell did you get in here?"

Joanna tossed the bat over her shoulder, letting it clatter on the carpet where it bounced next to a skittish Khoshekh. Khoshekh leapt away, yowling, out of the room between Rosalie's feet. She stepped around Khoshekh as Joanna rushed to her, yanking her forward into a tight hug.

Rosalie lost her breath against Joanna's chest. She clasped on tight, her hand going to Joanna's hair.

"I thought you were Georgina," Joanna whispered against her neck. She pressed her eyes to Rosalie's shoulder, and she felt Joanna's eyelashes flutter against her skin. She shivered at the sensation, clinging tighter to Joanna's back.

"She's not here. I doubt she'd get past the gate unless she climbed it," Rosalie said with a nervous laugh. She wasn't sure what she would put past the Kaiserslautern girls, but her words seemed to come as a relief to Joanna. "Is that why you came here?" she asked. "And how did you get in the house?"

"Picked the lock," Joanna said, shaking her head. "I don't want to go home."

Rosalie's throat closed up, her eyes burning. She couldn't imagine that fear any more than she could Joanna's terror

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