What If... All the Rumors Were True

by Liz Ruckdeschel

  Haley gave them each a jug. The rest of the team seemed to be waiting for her to tell them what to do. It felt cool being in charge, having the power to boss the girls around. It was a new sensation for Haley, and one she instantly liked.

  Marissa and Leah, the two freshman players, tilted their heads back and drank the water. After a few minutes of gulping, Marissa wiped her mouth. “My stomach’s full. I can’t drink any more.”

  Haley frowned. “Jen, check the jug to see how much she’s had so far.” Jen was a senior—so even seniors were following Haley’s orders. Which was kind of awesome.

  “She’s only finished about half,” Jen said.

  “Keep going, Marissa,” Haley demanded.

  “How are you doing, Leah?” Sasha asked, looking a tad concerned.

  Leah gulped and took a breath. “Okay.”

  “Come on, let’s get some team spirit going!” Haley said. “Chug! Chug! Chug!”

  The other girls followed along, chanting and cheering. “Chug! Chug! Chug!”

  Marissa stopped and clutched her stomach. “Maybe we should let them take a break,” Sasha suggested.

  “What do you think, team?” Haley asked. “The boys aren’t getting any breaks.”

  The other girls shouted, “Chug!”

  By the end of the evening, Marissa and Leah had finished more than a gallon each. “Good job,” Haley said, putting her arms around the two freshmen. “You are now official Lady Hawks. Congratulations.”

  “Ugh,” Marissa groaned.

  “My stomach,” Leah said.

  “My head,” Marissa said, rubbing her temples.

  “Come on, you guys will be fine,” Haley said. “It’s just water, right?”

  The party broke up. Haley felt good as Sasha drove her home. “I think the girls had a good time, don’t you?” she said.

  “Yeah, except for Leah and Marissa.”

  Just then, Haley’s cell buzzed. She glanced at the screen. Leah’s name came up.

  “Leah, what’s up?”

  “This isn’t Leah. This is her mother. Leah and Marissa are both in the emergency room. Leah tells me Marissa passed out cold in the car on the way home. Just what were you girls doing tonight?”

  “What’s wrong with Marissa?” Haley asked, fear creeping into her voice.

  “We don’t know yet,” Leah’s mother said. “The doctors said something about water poisoning. But why would that be? You girls didn’t have a game today.”

  The next day at school, the news was out. Marissa had gone into shock. Her system had been so overloaded with water it upset the saline balance in her blood. “The doctor said it was life-threatening. She could have died,” Sasha told Haley after visiting the ER.

  Haley’s stomach hit the ground. This was bad. This was very bad. And it was about to get worse.

  The word “life-threatening” sent the parents of Hillsdale into crisis mode, forcing the girls on the soccer team to confess what had happened. It wasn’t long before Haley Miller was named as being the primary force behind the initiation stunt—it was her idea, the girls said. She made the freshmen drink.

  That afternoon, Coach Tygert called Haley into his office. “I’m sorry to do this, Haley,” he said. “But I have no choice but to strip you of your title as captain and kick you off the team.”

  “I thought it was safe,” Haley protested. “I never heard that drinking too much water could be bad for you.”

  “You should never have forced your players to do something like this in the first place,” Coach Tygert said. “Your job is to lead them, to help them, not send them to the hospital.”

  Haley was devastated and more humiliated than she’d ever been in her life. Just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. Principal Crum expelled her. And then the local paper published an article about the cruel hazing incidents at Hillsdale High and named Haley Miller as one of the main perpetrators. Everyone shunned her. She became a pariah in town, friendless and alone.

  How awful! Haley got carried away in her own initiation frenzy—with serious consequences. How could she treat her own teammates so cruelly? Even if she never thought too much water could be harmful, just causing them discomfort was bad enough. Is that any way for a captain to behave? Well, she’s not the captain anymore, so that won’t ever happen again. At least not on the girls’ soccer team.

  Hang your head and go back to Chapter 1.

  SHOW SOME MERCY

  Sometimes leadership means taking one for the team.

  By the time Haley got to Zach Woolsey’s house in the Heights, the “initiation” process was already underway. Zach, a senior on the boys’ soccer team, had agreed to a coed hazing, as long as the girls didn’t wimp out. He wasn’t a captain but had offered to host after Reese Highland had canceled at the last minute. It was no surprise that the minute the word hazing began to circulate, Reese had backed out.

  Haley found her two freshmen, Leah and Marissa, sitting with the three frosh boys at a kitchen table loaded with huge jugs of water. Their teammates, boys and girls, surrounded them, ready to cheer them on.

  “Now,” Zach said. “I’m letting you frosh off easy. All you have to do is chug all the water on this table, and you’re done. Initiated. Simple, right?”

  “Not so fast,” Haley said. This looked innocent enough, but she wasn’t about to take any chances. Nothing bad would happen to her players, not on her watch. She took her position as captain of the team very seriously.

  “Sorry, Zach, but my girls have already been initiated,” she said, winking at Marissa and Leah. “They’ve been through the wringer, and I hate to make them suffer more. They don’t deserve it. And actually, I think the rest of you freshman are going to end up on the team even if you don’t drink the water. No one’s going to fault you if you walk out right now.”

  “Come on,” Zach said. “You promised you girls wouldn’t wuss out.”

  “I don’t remember making any promise like that,” Haley said. “Come on, girls—time for pizza.” She led her teammates out of the house with Sasha and saw all the freshman boys following them out the door.

  “Thanks, Haley,” Leah said once they arrived at Lisa’s Pizza. “I really didn’t want to drink all that water.”

  “Hazing is ridiculous,” Haley declared. “Reese was right to have no part of that. Why would I want to abuse my own teammates? We’ve got a game in two days. It doesn’t make sense.”

  A few girls were whispering at the other end of the table. “Hey, guys, did you hear about Mia Delgado?” asked one, her jaw dropping.

  “What—more rumors about Mia?” Haley said. The new girl certainly knew how to get herself talked about, that was for sure.

  “This is a doozy,” Leah said. “I heard she went to that Casino Night fund-raiser at Spencer Eton’s house—and was flirting with Whitney Klein’s dad in front of everyone.”

  “You’re kidding!” Haley said. “Mia? Are you sure? What would she see in Jerry Klein?”

  “That’s what I’d like to know,” Sasha said. “That guy sure gets around.”

  Just then Haley’s phone buzzed. She checked the screen: it was a text from Alex Martin, the cute senior head of the debate team.

  “Would it be all right if I called you sometime?—Alex.”

  “What is it?” Sasha asked, looking at Haley’s startled face.

  “I think Alex Martin just asked me out.”

  “Nice,” Sasha said, toasting Haley with her slice of pizza.

  “Hey, do you want to go with me to pick up Johnny at Bubbies? I hate sitting there waiting alone. And we can discuss how you’re going to handle the cute senior with a crush on you.”

  What a busy night—in the best possible way. Haley kindly spared her frosh the ordeal of initiation. Who knows what could have happened? Protecting her teammates won her their undying loyalty and appreciation. For the rest of the season, they respected Haley’s leadership more than ever.

  But the decision making
never ends. What’s up with this rumor about Mia and Jerry Klein? Could it really be true? If you think Haley’s curiosity about this mystery will not be slaked until she finds out the truth, send her to "INVESTIGATE MIA".

  And then there’s Alex’s offer. Should she take him up on it and go out with him? What about Reese? Or the cute photographer Devon McKnight? Or Sebastian Bodega, for that matter? If Mia’s flirty with Mr. Klein, does that mean her “Sebbie” is finally free? If you think Haley should give Alex a shot, go to "DATE WITH ALEX". If you think Haley should go to Bubbies with Sasha instead, "INCURABLE FLIRT".

  Haley’s been on a roll lately, but should she keep rolling the dice?

  COME ON, IRENE

  Father does not always know best.

  “I’ve got some news,” Irene announced. She and Haley were sitting in the courtyard eating lunch. “I’m quitting the play.”

  “What?” Haley was stunned. “But we need you! You’re the most brilliant set designer ever! If you quit, the magical forest of Arden will look like a tumbleweed patch in Texas. Why are you quitting?”

  “My parents, why else?” Irene said with a sigh. “They say the play takes up too much of my time. My grades are slipping again and I’m not working hard enough at the restaurant.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Haley said. “You work harder than anyone I know. What did Shaun say?”

  “I haven’t told him yet. But I can guess what he’ll say: ‘Hee-haw, screw them.’”

  “Irene, you are so talented,” Haley said. “Your talent continually blows me away. But you can’t let your parents control you so much. Stand up for yourself! You should be allowed to pursue the activities that interest you. How are you supposed to get into college if your only extracurricular is hostessing at a restaurant?”

  “You don’t understand,” Irene said. “I can’t reason with them. They believe children should never question their parents. Parents are always right.”

  “But they’re not right this time, and you know it,” Haley said. “You’ve got to stand up to them, Irene. Your future depends on it.”

  Irene paused. She seemed to really be taking what Haley was saying to heart.

  “Fight for your right to paint,” Haley added.

  “Okay. I will.”

  Somehow, Haley wasn’t sure if Irene really meant what she said.

  Haley’s taking a risk, getting involved in Irene’s family life. Irene’s parents have always been strict, but this time, in Haley’s opinion, they’ve gone too far. But will Irene just get into more trouble if she takes Haley’s advice?

  If you think Haley should keep supporting Irene in her plea for independence and risk the wrath of Mr. Chen, go to "BASEMENT DWELLERS". If you think Haley should mind her own business, and that business should have something to do with the cute senior who is rumored to have a crush on her, Alex Martin, go to "DATE WITH ALEX".

  Friends need all the support they can get—but butting into someone else’s family life can cause a lot of trouble. Handle with care.

  BODEGA’S BOLOGNA

  You can’t teach an old perro new tricks.

  “I was so stupid to give you up,” Sebastian said to Haley over lunch. “Look at you. Beautiful. A nice girl. Sensible. With a good head on her neck.”

  “You mean shoulders?” Not exactly the most romantic words Haley’d ever heard, but she’d take them.

  “Did I say beautiful?” Sebastian grinned, his bright white teeth lighting up his gorgeous face.

  “You can say that as many times as you want,” Haley said. Maybe I should give Sebastian another chance, she thought. He’s so sexy, so romantic, so passionate, I’d be crazy not to jump all over this.

  “And you’re smart too,” Sebastian said. “Not like that crazy Mia. What a flirt! She cannot resist any man—she’s always putting her hands all over them.”

  “Yeah, well, not everyone’s as self-controlled and levelheaded as I am,” Haley said, though she felt annoyed at the continued mention of Mia’s name.

  “She likes all the men, but especially the older men,” Sebastian said. “I think that’s wrong. Don’t you?”

  “Well, it’s not the healthiest way to go through high school.” Haley tried to keep the irritation out of her voice, but she was beginning to wonder whether this lunch was about her and Sebastian or Mia. He certainly seemed to think Mia was the more interesting topic of conversation.

  “You would never do that to me, would you, Haley?” Sebastian said, caressing her hand. “You know how to behave with a boyfriend, not to throw yourself at every cheap bald man who offers you jewelry…”

  Oops. When will Haley learn? Looks as though Haley got burned by the hot tamale once again. It’s pretty obvious that Sebastian is still obsessed with Mia, and as far as he’s concerned, Haley will always be second best. Sebastian can’t tame Mia, so he’ll take Haley as a consolation prize? How selfish!

  Haley may have been lured in by Sebastian’s extremely toned swimmer’s body and his suave charms, but she doesn’t want to be anyone’s alternate. She’s going to have to forget about Sebastian and start over again.

  Go back to Chapter 1.

  DATE WITH ALEX

  What is written in the stars isn’t always easy to make out from a distance.

  “There’s the Big Dipper.” Alex pointed to a cup-shaped star formation on the planetarium ceiling. For their first official date, Alex had driven Haley into Manhattan and taken her to the planetarium at the Museum of Natural History. They sat inside the huge dome and gazed up at the stars. It was almost as romantic as lying in a field and watching the real night sky. Haley was duly impressed by how much Alex knew about astronomy.

  “Those two stars at the front of the cup are called pointers because they always point to the North Star,” Alex said. “See it?”

  Haley drew a line from the front of the Big Dipper to a bright star a few inches above it. “I see it. Cool.”

  “No matter where the Big Dipper is, whether it’s upside down or in the west or east, it always points to the North Star,” Alex said. “I love that about the universe. It’s mysterious and strange, but also consistent. You can count on it. So now you’ll always know which way north is.”

  “And I can never get lost again,” Haley said. “Well, except during the daytime.”

  “Then you can use the sun,” Alex reminded her.

  “Not on cloudy days, though,” Haley said, continuing to debate the ultimate debater.

  “Well, I hope you never get lost,” Alex said, relenting. “At least not so lost that I can’t find you.”

  They sat together quietly for a minute, taking in the twinkling lights.

  “Do you know the constellations?” Alex asked. “There’s Libra….”

  At the mention of constellations, the California girl in Haley got the best of her. “What sign are you?” she asked.

  Alex laughed. “Leo. It’s that lion-shaped constellation up there. How about you?”

  “Aquarius,” she said. Leo—yes! she thought. She’d read that Leo and Aquarius were highly compatible—and the better she got to know Alex, the more she felt this was really true. “I’m an air sign,” she said. “And Leo’s fire.”

  “Fire needs air,” Alex said. “Or it dies out. Isn’t that how it goes? Not that I buy into any of that foolishness.”

  “I figured,” Haley said. She turned her eyes away from the stars and caught him gazing at her face. Then he leaned close and kissed her.

  “I’ve liked you from the moment I first noticed you lost in the math wing last year.”

  “Really?” Haley said. “You sure didn’t act like it at first.”

  “I was playing hard to get,” Alex teased.

  “Well,” said Haley, “I’m glad I gave you a chance.”

  “So am I,” Alex replied.

  He kissed her again, and she put her arms around him. Haley suddenly felt the urge to never let go. Alex was a senior, which meant he’d be off to college in just a few mo
nths, and they would have to make the best of the time they had. She gazed up, hoping this was only the first of many romantic liaisons under the stars. Alex’s grip on her was every bit as tight, and she knew in that moment he felt exactly the same way.

  THE END

  INVESTIGATE MIA

  It doesn’t take a lot to shock a small town.

  “Do you think Mia just crashed Casino Night?” Haley said to Coco. “Not that I’d put anything past her, but crashing a political fund-raiser seems crazy even for her.”

  Coco had invited Haley to lunch at the country club. They sat outside on the terrace, basking in the last of the October sun. Haley wasn’t sure what Coco wanted until the subject of Mia came up; then she understood.

  “Did you see the security at the Etons’ house?” Coco said. “There’s no way she crashed. And I saw Spencer’s guest list—she wasn’t on it.”

  “Someone must have bought her a ticket,” Haley said. “But who?”

  “I don’t know,” Coco said. “Although I have my suspicions. And I think I know how we can find out.” She leaned forward and stared across the lawn toward the golf course. “Here she comes now.”

  “Who?” Haley saw a trim, familiar-looking woman in her twenties striding toward them in a golf skirt. A caddie trailed along behind her.

  “Rachel,” Coco said. “Mrs. Eton’s social secretary.”

  So that was why the woman looked familiar, Haley thought. She must have seen Rachel at the Eton’s soiree.

  Coco summoned a waiter with a finger in the air. “Would you please ask Ms. Horton if she’d like to join us at our table for coffee?”

  “Certainly, Miss De Clerq.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Rachel Horton appeared at their table carrying a gym bag and a briefcase. “Hello, Coco. Drinking coffee now? I thought you lived on the plasma of young boys.”