Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys

by Kate Brian

  “Hi, Miller,” Megan said finally.

  “The Yankees are playing their hundred and thirty-fifth game of the season,” he replied. Then he flipped a switch and Megan heard the tinny voice of an announcer come to life. He set the radio on the table and went about seasoning his bowl of soup with the plastic salt- and pepper shakers on the table. Megan noticed that his soda can, his bottle of juice, and his snack pack were lined up on his tray in height order. He moved the snack pack over, placed the salt- and pepper shakers between it and the juice bottle, and sat back, satisfied.

  TooDamn-Funky: what do u mean funky stuff going on down there??? u cant just say that & not xplain!!!

  Kicker5525: OMG This morning Evan woke up and came out of his room with his boxers gaping right open. His cartoon frog boxers.

  TooDamn-Funky: OH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! u didn’t actually c skin, did u?

  Kicker5525: OH GOD! No! I didn’t look.

  TooDamn-Funky: hey! u live in testosteroneville now. get used to it!

  Three

  The soccer team was gathered on the bleachers when Megan approached. The coach—a tall, muscular woman with short dark hair—had her back to Megan as she spoke with the team. It was a long walk across the field to join them and by the time Megan got there, every one of the players was watching her. She dropped her bag on the bottom step and the coach stopped mid-sentence.

  “You must be the new girl I’ve heard so much about,” she said, glancing down at Megan’s dirty cleats.

  “I guess,” Megan said. Apparently she had been right to assume that some of her future teammates would spot her cleats in the hall. “I’m Megan Meade.”

  “Coach Leonard,” she responded. “What position do you play, Megan?”

  “Center forward,” Megan replied.

  Someone blurted a laugh that was followed by a round of others. The whispering that had begun on her arrival intensified and a couple of the girls shook their heads in obvious pity. The coach, however, seemed unfazed.

  “All right,” she said with a nod. “Girls, why don’t we scrimmage and see what Megan can do? Tina, you sit this one out.”

  Tina, the redheaded girl who had smiled at Megan that morning, grimaced and sat back in her seat while most of the other girls climbed to the ground. She handed Megan a balled-up red vest, which Megan quickly pulled on over her T-shirt.

  “Thanks,” Megan said.

  “Yeah. Break a leg,” Tina said sarcastically. So much for that smile.

  Megan jogged out to the field and joined the other red shirts on the west side. She greeted the girls on the line and a couple reached out to slap hands with her, but no names were exchanged. Once they got on the field, these girls were all business. Megan liked that.

  Coach walked out to midfield with a soccer ball and stepped in between Megan and the opposing center forward. The other girl was tall and tan with broad shoulders, a lean waist, and killer legs. Her blond hair had been highlighted and was pulled into a thick ponytail. She was wearing a little bit too much makeup, but Megan could tell by the fierce look in her eyes that the girl was no Barbie. This was going to be interesting.

  The ball dropped, the whistle blew, and it was game on. Megan quickly got control of the ball and started upfield. She passed to the girl on her right and ran ahead, zooming past her first defender, who actually tripped herself up trying to change direction. The ball came back to her seconds later and Megan was rushed hard but deftly popped the ball right through the legs of the halfback. She took the ball downfield, using some fancy footwork to trip up another defender. She raced toward the goal virtually untouched. The goalie, from the look on her face, was completely flummoxed. Megan faked left and kicked right. The girl had no chance.

  “Score!” Coach Leonard called out as the ball whizzed into the back of the net.

  Megan’s teammates crowded around her, slapping her on the back and showering her with high fives. That had been a little too easy. Megan hoped that the starting goalie was at the other end of the field.

  “Nice one, Megan!” Coach Leonard called. “The rest of you are making me look bad! Let’s go!”

  This time the other center forward glowered full force at Megan when they toed the line. “Beginner’s luck,” she said.

  Megan ignored her, knowing she would formulate a comeback five hours from now—one she would never have the guts to deliver anyway. Instead, she’d just make this girl eat her dust.

  At the whistle, Megan got the ball again, but this time, Blondie took it right away with a deft, behind-the-legs steal. It happened so fast Megan never saw it coming and she had to laugh as she chased the girl down.

  “Nice move,” she shouted, impressed.

  “Get used to it,” the girl replied.

  She passed the ball right by Megan, who was two seconds too late to block it. Her teammate took it upfield but quickly lost it. The ball came flying through the air toward Megan. It was a perfect angle for a head pass, so Megan jumped up to take it. But before forehead ever touched leather, she was blindsided—a full-contact hit jarred every bone in her body and threw her to the ground. By the time she looked up again, Blondie was halfway down the field with the ball.

  “Watch it, Hailey!” Coach Leonard called out.

  “Wow,” Megan said under her breath as Hailey scored. “Someone’s not messing around.”

  She knew that Hailey’s hit was a blatant foul that probably would have earned her a yellow card in a real game, but Megan liked the fact that the girl wasn’t afraid to play rough. Every team needed fearless players like that. And from what she had already seen, Hailey had some of the best moves going.

  Maybe even better than mine, Megan thought. Megan was used to being a star on the soccer field, but she knew she’d be okay sharing the spotlight with this girl. She just hoped that Hailey’s playing center forward didn’t keep her from making the squad.

  A few minutes later, the whistle blew and everyone trotted off the field. Megan jogged over to Hailey and put out her hand.

  “Nice moves out there,” she said. “Never saw you coming.”

  Hailey looked at Megan’s palm like it was covered in ticks. “Yeah, most people don’t. That’s why I’ve been All-State for three years in a row and why you’ll never get my spot.”

  Stunned, Megan slowed her steps and let Hailey jog ahead, where she slapped palms with Tina and a few other girls.

  “Don’t mind Hailey. Nobody likes her.”

  Another player, the girl who had played right flank on Megan’s side, had caught up with her. She had a powerful-looking build, and most of her shoulder-length blond hair had fallen free of its ponytail and now hung in clumps around her clean, sweat-shining face. Megan had noticed her on the field. She was one of the faster girls on the team.

  “Not even them?” Megan asked, looking at Hailey’s friends.

  “She pays them,” the girl joked. “As her sister, I get to turn down the money and say what I really think.”

  “You’re her sister?” Megan asked, surprised.

  “I know. I’m, like, so much prettier than her,” the girl said, batting her eyelashes comically. “Anyway, I’m Aimee Farmer. Little sister to Hailey ‘Queen Bitch’ Farmer.”

  “Ah,” Megan said, shaking hands with her. “I’m Megan.”

  “I know. You were in my chemistry class this afternoon, right?” Aimee asked.

  “Oh God. You were there? Sorry, I don’t remember anything after I almost burned my lab partner’s eyebrows off.”

  Aimee laughed. “It wasn’t that bad. So . . . you were amazing out there. Where did you learn to play like that?”

  “I played on a lot of boys’ teams growing up,” Megan explained as they reached the sideline, where the rest of the team was sucking on their water bottles. “And last year my team was state champion in Texas.”

  “Wow. Texas. Big state.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “All right, let’s run some drills!” Coach Leonard called out. A few
girls grabbed the orange cones that were stacked up next to the bleachers and took them back out to the field. “Megan, see me after practice and we’ll talk about a spot on the team.”

  “Sure, Coach,” Megan said.

  “Depose my sister, please,” Aimee said under her breath. “I’ll love you forever.”

  Megan laughed as she and Aimee jogged back onto the field. A familiar and exciting warmth overcame her from head to toe and she relished it, even as she thought with a pang of Tracy and the last time she had felt it. Megan had a feeling she had just made her first new friend.

  * * *

  “Well, Megan, you’ve got some obvious talent—I don’t have to tell you that,” Coach Leonard said as they stood in the hallway outside the girls’ locker room.

  Hair still dripping wet from the shower, Megan crossed her arms over her chest and tried to quell the butterflies inside. She had to make this team. Without the familiarity of soccer practice and drills and games, she would be totally lost.

  “But I’ve already got a starting center forward and she’s been my center forward for three years.”

  Megan gripped herself a little harder.

  “So, I have a proposition for you,” Coach Leonard said.

  “What’s that, Coach?” Megan asked hopefully.

  “How would you feel about moving over to left forward?” Coach asked. “We’re a little weak on that side of the field and I think you’d be a perfect fit.”

  Megan grinned hugely. “Sure, Coach. Whatever I can do.”

  “Great,” Coach Leonard said, slapping her on the shoulder. “Glad to have you here, Megan. I think with you on board, we could go a long way this year.”

  “Thanks, Coach.”

  “See ya tomorrow.” Coach Leonard gave Megan a nod as she walked off.

  Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  “Hey! You made it?” Aimee asked, noticing Megan’s ludicrous grin when she walked out of the locker room a moment later.

  “Yep. Left forward,” Megan said, hefting her book bag up from the floor, where she had dropped it while talking to the coach. She followed Aimee out into the bright sunshine, feeling lighter than air. She had made the team. Her new life had officially started.

  She couldn’t wait to get home and tell her mom and dad. Wait, call Mom and Dad, Megan reminded herself with a serious pang. This had been happening to her all day. Being away from them was going to be hard to get used to. It’s okay. You’ll talk to them tonight, she thought. It’ll be great.

  “Oh, well. So much for the Hailey ego bursting. I was so looking forward to that,” Aimee said with a laugh. “But I’m happy for you. Hey . . . you need a ride home?”

  “Actually, that would be . . .”

  Megan trailed off when she saw a vision that made her lose all power of speech. Evan’s car was parked at the curb of the school’s driveway and Evan himself was leaning back against it, looking out across the plush front lawn, away from Megan. His legs were crossed at the ankle and his blond hair shone in the sunlight.

  He looked up, spotted her, and smiled. He had come to pick her up from practice. There had never been a more perfect moment in all of Megan’s life.

  But oh God. What was she going to say to him alone in the car for the whole ride home? Sure, he had driven her that morning, but then Finn had been in the front seat with him and the two of them had kept each other occupied. What was she going to do? How was she going to survive this without making a complete idiot of herself?

  “Hey, babe!” Evan called out.

  Huh?

  Hailey jogged past Megan and Aimee, nearly knocking her sister over as she barreled down the pathway and directly into Evan’s arms. He lifted her off the ground and mauled her with a long, almost pornographic kiss. Megan couldn’t tear her eyes away.

  He has a girlfriend, Megan thought, her good mood instantly obliterated. Of course he has a girlfriend. Just look at the guy.

  But why did it have to be her?

  “My sister the PDA slut,” Aimee said under her breath.

  “Get a room!” called one of Hailey’s friends from the door behind Megan, earning a round of laughter from the rest of the team.

  Hailey detached herself from Evan’s face and shot them all a self-satisfied smirk. She took Evan’s hand and pulled him away from the car so she could get in. Evan opened the door for her and the moment Hailey’s butt hit the seat, she flipped down the visor to check her makeup in the mirror.

  “Hey, Megan. You coming?” Evan called out.

  Hailey’s head snapped up and she glowered out the window.

  “Uh . . . yeah,” Megan replied, forcing her feet to move. “See you tomorrow,” she said to Aimee. She looked at the ground and wrapped her wet hair up into a makeshift bun as she headed for the car. Evan opened the door for her, but she couldn’t even look at him as she dropped into the backseat. How could he like Hailey Farmer? He was supposed to be perfect.

  “So, how was your first day?” Evan asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

  “It was all right,” Megan replied.

  “Same old same old,” Hailey said at the same time.

  Hailey shot Megan a look in the rearview mirror and Evan laughed. “Actually, Hails, I was talking to Megan,” he said, reaching out and putting his hand over Hailey’s. “We all know how your first day went.”

  He and Hailey exchanged a knowing look and laughed.

  “Well, she made the soccer team,” Hailey said.

  “Cool, Megan. Congrats,” Evan said.

  “Thanks,” Megan said.

  “So, where did Coach put you, anyway?” Hailey added. “We know you’re not playing center.”

  Megan’s skin burned and she stared out the window.

  “I’m playing left,” she said.

  She saw Hailey’s sly smile in the rearview mirror. “Oh, well, left is very important,” Hailey said. “You’ll be like my wingman.”

  Megan rolled her eyes and stewed. It was one thing to be comeback-free around a girl like Hailey, but having it happen in front of Evan was ten times worse. Why couldn’t she just stick up for herself?

  “Don’t mind Hailey,” Evan said. “Soccer is her life.”

  Hailey shot Evan an irritated look that he didn’t notice. “We’re pretty fast up front,” she said, glancing over her shoulder. “I hope you can keep up.”

  “Come on, Hails. Leonard would never have taken her if she wasn’t good,” Evan said.

  Megan could have kissed him. If there weren’t a million obstacles, both physical and psychological, in her way, of course.

  “I’m just saying,” Hailey said, raising her hands. “I just want her to be prepared, that’s all.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” Megan said. “My team was state champion last year.”

  There you go! Nice one! she thought, smiling triumphantly.

  “Really?” Evan asked, looking over his shoulder. “That’s awesome, Kicks.”

  Megan’s smile widened.

  “Kicks? What’s Kicks?” Hailey asked.

  “It’s Megan’s nickname,” Evan said. “Actually, her nickname’s Kicker, but I shortened it. I think Kicks is cooler, don’t you?” he asked, glancing at Megan in the mirror.

  “Definitely,” Megan said.

  Hailey sat back hard and stared out the window, her jaw set. “That’s so nice that you two already have your own nicknames.”

  “Do I sense a little sarcasm, Hails?” Evan asked playfully. He stopped at a red light, picked up her hand, and kissed it.

  Hailey rolled her eyes but smiled. “No,” she said. “Not at all. So, how was lacrosse practice? Are you finally going to make All-State this year?”

  “You know I don’t care about that,” Evan said, still holding Hailey’s hand as he turned the wheel with his left. “Lacrosse is for fun. As long as I make first-team hockey—”

  “I know! I know! The schools will be coming after you!” Hailey replied.

  As Evan and
Hailey chatted on, Megan found herself suffering from major third-wheel discomfort. She sat back in her seat and gazed out the window, wondering how far Hailey’s house was from the school. As much as she didn’t want to be left alone in the car to make conversation with Evan, listening to the happy lovers’ chatter was much, much worse.

  From: Kicker5525@yahoo.com

  To: TooDamn-Funky@rockin.com

  Sublect: The Immersion Program

  Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowan Boys

  Entry Two

  Observation #1: When there’s food in their sights, boys notice little else.

  It’s like lion-and-gazelle time on Animal Planet. Heidi Klum could walk in and no one would notice. Okay, maybe they would. No way to test that theory. But still, it’s like ultimate concentration.

  Observation #2: They’re easily distracted.

  Evan was supposed to show me around school, but he saw some friends and got sidetracked. I chose not to take the slight personally.

  Observation #3: They know how to pose.

  Evan. His car. Some perfectly placed sunbeams. A casual, unaffected lean. **sigh**

  Observation #4: They have bizarro taste in women.

  Four

  “So, did you have fun?” Regina asked that night as she opened the front door.

  “Yeah, thanks again,” Megan said. “But you really didn’t have to get me all this stuff.” Clutched in her hands were four shopping bags full of clothes and makeup Regina had insisted on bringing home for her.

  “I didn’t have to—I wanted to,” Regina said. “Do you know what a pleasure it is to spend time in the women’s section at the Gap?”

  Megan laughed. “Well, thanks again.”

  “Anytime,” Regina said. “I’m going to make some tea. Do you want some?”

  “No thanks. I think I’ll just go put all this away.”

  “Well, good night, hon,” Regina said with a smile.

  “’Night.”

  Megan headed down the hallway for the stairs but paused when she heard voices coming from the basement. Down below, Doug called out the play-by-play for what, from the sound of it, was a digital football showdown.