“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I say. “Besides, I think my brothers have kept them busy.”
She shrugs and looks up at the stands. “Faulkner won last year. So, this is our big chance to get even. The whole town waits for this game every season.”
I try to comprehend a game that big in New York. Besides the Superbowl, there’s nothing that could get the whole city excited over a football game. And the apocalypse itself couldn’t shut down stores.
“Maybe you’ll see your graveyard hottie,” I say, nudging her elbow with mine.
“Who?” she asks, her eyes widening.
I roll my eyes. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
“That’s just a guy I went to elementary with,” she says, her cheeks going pink. “I don’t even know him anymore.”
“He sure seemed to know you,” I tease.
“He was with his girlfriend,” she points out. “Who, I might add, is another one of the Darling cousins.”
“And she goes to Faulkner High?” I ask, covering my heart and pretending to be scandalized.
“I think it has more to do with her boyfriend than anything,” she says. “They definitely live in the right part of town.”
“Well, I guess you shouldn’t go after him,” I say. “Or the Darling’s will put a hit out on you.”
Speaking of, I glance around, making sure all my brothers are within my line of sight. I keep waiting for the retribution. I know better than to think Devlin’s had enough. If he’s anything like my brothers, there will never be enough now. He’s got a grudge, and he won’t stop until he’s carried through with a punishment warranted by the crime.
“Let’s get popcorn,” Daddy says. He lowers his voice and winks at me. “Gotta support the local economy, after all. It’s good to let people know you care.”
I’m not sure how much he actually cares and how much he just wants to be seen, but I don’t say it. I know appearances are everything for a family like ours. If this is a community event, you can be damn sure Daddy will be there, the star of his family show, surrounded by his beautiful offspring.
I suddenly feel disloyal for my thoughts. Daddy loves football. Maybe he really is excited about the game, about scoping out the competition just like my brothers are. If anyone’s more excited about them getting on the team than they are, it’s him. He may want to look like the star of the Dolce clan, but he wants us to be the stars of everything else. Whatever matters most to our school, we should be at the very center of that.
“Let’s go get seats,” Royal says, taking my elbow and steering me toward the stands. I glance back over my shoulder, but King falls in on my other side, his presence reassuring me. The Darlings aren’t going to do anything here, in front of the whole town. I’m reminded of that when I see the cop who arrested them chatting with some locals. Devlin’s probably not even here. He’s at home, most likely cooking up some horrible revenge scheme with Preston right now.
The bleachers are packed with people of all ages, from moms with babies to great-grandparents. Half of them are talking while the other half cheer even though the players aren’t on the field. The cheerleaders start a chant and everyone in the stands starts yelling along with them. I spot Lacey, my guide from the first day, in the squad. No surprise there. Anyone deigned worthy of being a Darling Doll, of sitting with the cousins at lunch if there’s enough space at their table by the time she arrives, must be popular.
King nudges me. “Check out the cheerleaders while we’re here.”
“Not really into girls, but thanks.”
He gives me an annoyed glance. “You need to know what you’re up against.”
“I don’t think I’m really into the whole cheering thing anymore.”
“Tell that to Dad,” he says, guiding me along a row of metal bleachers to a space just big enough for us to ask a couple if they can scoot down to make room for the seven of us. The night is cool, and the woman has a black fleece blanket draped across her knees with the Willow Heights crest on it. These people take their football really fucking serious.
Half the stands are filled with people shaking black and gold pompoms. I look around in awe, not sure if I’m more intimidated or impressed by the sight. If I got on the cheer squad, I’d be under scrutiny from the entire town. Literally. Across the way, the Faulkner High stands are just as crazy. One look at the crowd, and I already know Faulkner’s colors are navy and white.
On the field on their side, a redheaded cheerleader is yelling at her squad. Her back is to her crowd, but I can tell from all the way across the field that she’s pissed. Glad she’s not the team captain I’ll have to impress. Not that I’m going out for cheer. I’ll get my therapist to recommend against it if Dad can’t be reasoned with.
“Cheer tryouts were last year,” Dixie says. Her cheeks redden, and she ducks her head. For a second, I think she’s still nervous around my brothers, but then I realize that’s not it.
“You tried out?” I ask.
“It’s stupid,” she mumbles. “Like you ever see a cheerleader who looks like me up there.”
“That’s bullshit,” I burst out. “There are all kinds of cheerleaders.”
“Really?” Dixie asks, nodding at the girls. I look them over, noting how entirely homogenous the Willow Heights side is. There’s one biracial girl, but otherwise, the most diversity apparent on the squad is a petite girl with a bob. Otherwise, every single girl is white, slender, and with a long pony swinging behind her. The two boys on the squad look like body builders-in-training.