In Love with the Enemy Read online

  "Ours was a PTA bake sale," Marla said.

  Elizabeth laughed. "When you start covering brownies, you know you're in trouble."

  "Well, they say that no news is good news," Enid put in.

  "Not for journalists," Caitlin said ruefully.

  "I know!" Elizabeth exclaimed, suddenly struck with an idea. "Why don't we make some news?"

  "That's a great idea!" Caitlin enthused.

  The girls put their heads together and brainstormed for a while, looking for inspiration.

  "How about a triathlon?" Marla suggested.

  Caitlin's eyes lit up. "We could have an all-day sporting event for students from both schools."

  Elizabeth groaned. All anyone had been discussing for the past week was the big game against the Palisades Pumas. And all Todd had been talking about was basketball, beginning every sentence with the phrase, "When I get my cast off . . ." Elizabeth couldn't wait for him to get his cast off. Then she wouldn't have to hear about it every five minutes.

  "Please," Elizabeth said, holding her hand above her head. "I've had it up to here with sports."

  "Yeah, we're a little sported-out at the moment," Enid agreed.

  "Well, then, maybe we should do some kind of literary activity," Caitlin suggested.

  Elizabeth pondered the idea. "How about a poetry-reading night?" she said. When she had been at SVU, she and Ian had attended a poetry reading at the campus coffee bar. A German student had read a haunting poem about the Berlin Wall, and the conversation afterward had been fascinating.

  "Or just a literary night," Marla said. "You know, where students could read any of their material—poems or short stories or essays."

  But Enid was shaking her head. "Personally, I think it sounds like a great idea," she said, "but, unfortunately, I think about ten people would show up."

  "From both schools combined," Caitlin agreed with a laugh.

  "Well, then, we have to do something that everyone will take part in," Marla said.

  "Like a dance," Elizabeth suggested.

  Marla pounced on the idea. "That's it!" she exclaimed, her green eyes sparkling. "A joint SVH–Palisades High dance."

  Marla's enthusiasm was contagious. "Then we could each write features about each other's schools," Elizabeth said.

  "We could come up with a motif and make it a theme party," Caitlin added.

  "Maybe we should have a rap theme," Enid joked, turning mock-innocent eyes to Elizabeth. "Do you think we could borrow some of Jessica's music?"

  Elizabeth wasn't amused. "Enid, I'm warning you," she said.

  "Go, Ken, go!" Jessica yelled, her heart pounding in her chest. There was one minute left on the clock, and the Gladiators were behind by six points. The Sweet Valley High fans were on their feet screaming. Ken had the ball and he was dodging his opponents. He got in position for a pass.

  "Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown!" the crowd screamed, pounding their feet on the bleachers. The stands were shaking, and the stadium was crackling with excitement.

  Suddenly the Palisades linebacker blocked Ken and gave him a hit to the middle. The ball flew out of his hand and Ken doubled over, clutching his stomach. The ball bounced away and the linebacker dived for it. He scooped it up and started to run downfield.

  Jessica sucked in her breath and ran as close to the edge of the field as possible. She couldn't really tell, but it looked as if the Puma had kneed Ken in the stomach. Ken was bent over, struggling for breath. He seemed to be injured. Jessica fought the impulse to run out onto the field and help him. Why are they still playing? she wondered anxiously. She considered running for the coach and making him call a time-out. But suddenly Ken sprang into action, lunging after the linebacker and swiping at the ball.

  "C'mon, Ken," Jessica urged. The Sweet Valley fans were silent as the tension mounted.

  "Ten, nine, eight, seven . . ." The Palisades fans counted down the last seconds on the clock as Ken wildly tried to recover the ball. The clock struck zero. The Palisades Pumas had won.

  "Darnit!" Jessica swore, stamping her foot on the ground in frustration. The cheerleaders dropped their pom-poms to the ground and slumped onto the bench, staring at the scoreboard in disappointment.

  "Here's my number," Elizabeth told Marla, scribbling her phone number on the back of a napkin as the Palisades fans leaped to their feet.

  "Thanks," Marla said, wedging her shoulders free from the screaming fans to take the outstretched slip of paper.

  While the players had been sweating on the field, the girls had worked out the details of the dance. They had decided to make the event a fund-raiser. They would have a friendly competition between the schools: Whichever school sold more tickets could give all the proceeds to the charity of its choice.

  Balancing a notebook on her knee, Caitlin copied down her and Marla's phone numbers. "Why don't we get together on Sunday to make plans for the dance?" Caitlin suggested as she handed the slip of paper to Enid.

  "We could have brunch," Enid said.

  "How about the Box Tree Cafe?" Elizabeth suggested. "They do a great breakfast buffet, and there's a beautiful view of the ocean."

  "I think you talked us into it," Marla laughed.

  Suddenly the girls were caught in a shuffle of people pushing down the aisle.

  "What's all the commotion about?" Caitlin asked.

  Elizabeth looked up at the scoreboard. "Oh, I guess the game's over," she said. "I wonder who won."

  Chapter 2

  Ken violently slammed his locker shut. He was getting dressed with the rest of the guys from the team. Usually the locker room was like a zoo after a game, but today the atmosphere was quiet and subdued. The Gladiators' spirits were low.

  Ken couldn't believe they had lost. And it was all his fault. He had totally blown the last pass. Ken replayed the moment in his head as he toweled off his hair and threw on a T-shirt. He could feel the rough leather of the ball in his hand, and he could hear the fans shouting. He saw his wide receiver, Danny Porter, in position near the end zone. The coast was clear. He lifted his arm for the winning throw . . . and suddenly a shooting pain stabbed him in the stomach. Someone had knocked the wind out of him. He gasped for air and fumbled the ball.

  Ken gritted his teeth thinking about it. The Palisades linebacker, Greg McMullen, had deliberately kneed him in the stomach. And then, to make matters worse, Greg had taunted him. "What's wrong, windbag?" Greg had snickered. "Ball too slippery for you?"

  Ken could only wheeze in retort. Why hadn't he said something back? Ken threw his gym bag onto the bench in disgust.

  Tim Nelson, the defensive linebacker, walked into the locker room, a towel wrapped around his waist. "Good game," he said, clapping Ken on the shoulder.

  Ken grunted and sat down on the bench, fumbling under it for his shoes. He pulled them out by the shoestrings and pulled on a black high-top sneaker, a scowl spread across his face.

  "Hey, don't worry about it, man," said Tad "Blubber" Johnson, his ample stomach creasing in rolls as he leaned over to put on his socks. "They were hitting below the belt."

  "You can say that again," Danny said angrily, pulling on a pair of jeans. "They were out for blood."

  Robbie Hendricks threw his clothes into his locker with a vengeance. "They took Bryce and Ricky out in the first half."

  Zack Johnson, the linebacker, slammed his fist against the locker so hard that the entire row reverberated. "I'd like to take all of them out," he said, his eyes glinting angrily.

  Ken sighed. Ricky's knee was damaged and Bryce had a concussion. Bryce would be OK, but he wasn't sure about Ricky. Knee damage was a serious problem for athletes. It was possible that Ricky would be out for the rest of the season. And Ricky was indispensable to the team. Ken clenched his jaw angrily. He'd seen teams play dirty before, but never as low as the Pumas had played that day.

  "I don't think we should take this sitting down," Zack said, leaning against a row of lockers.

  "Too bad we don't have anot
her game coming up," Danny added, tossing his uniform into his gym bag. "Then we could give them a taste of their own medicine."

  "Who says we need a game?" Zack asked.

  Zack's right, Ken thought. He wasn't going to let the Pumas abuse his players and get away with it. The Gladiators could get their revenge off the football field. Ken opened his mouth to agree with Zack, but then he stopped himself. He was the captain of the football team. It was his job to set a high standard for the morale and ethics of the team.

  Ken stood up and faced the rest of the guys on the bench. "Look, guys, we're all-star quality this year. We've got an exceptional team," he said. "Our record is clean. We don't want to stoop to their level. We don't need to engage in foul play to win."

  "But they're going to sabotage our chance for the title this year," Robbie protested.

  "We can't just let them get away with it," Danny added.

  Ken held up a hand. "We played our best, and more important, we played fair. And that's what counts. Remember, the old saying is right: It's not winning or losing, but how you play the game." Ken slung his gym bag over his shoulder and turned to leave. "See you at practice on Monday."

  "See you," the guys mumbled, sounding discouraged.

  We played our best, Ken repeated to himself as he walked out of the locker room. And that's what counts. If only he could really believe his own words.

  "Ken!" Jessica called excitedly as he exited the locker room. Ken turned to see Jessica running to him, her face glowing. She looked beautiful, as always. She was wearing white jeans and a light-blue cotton button-down shirt, and her golden hair was falling in soft waves around her face. Her blue-green eyes sparkled and her smile shone brightly. Usually just the sight of Jessica raised Ken's spirits, but now he was too depressed even to manage a smile.

  Jessica flung her arms around his neck. "How's my star quarterback?" she asked. She leaned her face back for a kiss.

  "Hi, Jess," he said, giving her a perfunctory kiss on the lips and shrugging off her arms. He felt irritated by Jessica's high spirits. He wasn't in the mood for her perkiness.

  "I can't believe we lost!" Jessica burst out. "It was so close."

  "Yeah, and it was my fault," Ken mumbled.

  Jessica wrapped an arm around his waist. "Of course it wasn't your fault, silly," she said. "You played a great game. You made two touchdowns."

  Suddenly a car horn blared.

  "Hey, lovebirds!" Amy yelled, waving out the window of Lila Fowler's lime-green Triumph.

  Lila rolled down her window. "You guys coming?" she asked. "The whole gang's going to the Dairi Burger." The Dairi Burger was the most popular teenage hangout in Sweet Valley.

  "One sec," Jessica called, holding up an index finger. She hooked her arm into Ken's. "Let's go. They're waiting for us."

  But Ken shook his head. "I don't think I'm up to it."

  "C'mon," Jessica said in a cajoling tone, giving him a charming smile that caused the dimple in her left cheek to deepen. "It'll help get your mind off the game. You can have your favorite strawberry shake." Jessica lowered her voice to a whisper. "And then a late-night drive to Miller's Point—"

  But Ken cut her off, shaking loose her arm. "Jessica, I said I didn't want to go," he said sharply—more sharply than he'd intended.

  Jessica looked wounded for a minute, then shrugged. "Fine with me," she said curtly. "See you." She skipped off to Lila's car without a backward glance.

  "Jess . . ." Ken called after her halfheartedly. But she was already hopping into the car. He stood and watched as Lila revved the engine and screeched out of the parking lot.

  "Ahh, the sweet taste of freedom," Todd said as he backed his black BMW out of his space in the parking lot at Sweet Valley High. He wiggled the toes of his left foot as he pressed down on the gas pedal. It was so good to be able to move both of his feet again. He felt as if he'd been in a cast forever.

  Todd cruised the parking lot, looking for Ken or Elizabeth. He'd arrived at halftime, but the stands had been so crowded that he hadn't been able to find anyone. He'd ended up taking a seat on the highest tier of the bleachers and had been barely able to make out the action of the game. The Sweet Valley High fans had spent most of their time on their feet screaming, and some girls in front of him had been holding a huge banner.

  Todd decided to take a quick spin down the highway while he was waiting. Elizabeth and Ken would probably be a while. It would take some time for the stands to empty out, and Ken had to change out of his football uniform—and probably had to boost the morale of his team, as well. From what Todd had gathered from the fans around him, the Palisades Pumas had played a brutal game.

  Todd swung onto the main road and pushed hard on the accelerator, enjoying the sensation of the asphalt racing beneath the wheels of his BMW. He opened the window, letting the cool night air whip through his curly brown hair. He felt as if he'd been rejuvenated. He was itching to start working out again. He was going to train like a madman in order to get back into shape.

  Todd took the ramp onto the highway and cut across the road to the left lane. He raced down the smooth road, his spirits high. My life has been like a roller coaster lately, he thought, shaking his head. Just last week he had felt as though nothing was going his way. He had damaged his ankle during the most important game of the season. All the college representatives had been there, and Todd had been determined to make a good impression. Instead, he had come down hard on his foot and had seriously hurt his ankle. The coach had thought he would be out for the season.

  Then Elizabeth had taken a trip to SVU to visit her brother and had decided to stay there for good. When she had broken the news to him, Todd had been devastated. He had felt as if his whole life were falling apart. Everything that mattered to him was slipping out of his fingers—first basketball, then his girlfriend.

  But now things are looking up, Todd thought happily, taking the exit ramp and swinging back onto the main road toward the high school. He'd be back on the court in no time, and Elizabeth had decided to stay in Sweet Valley. The doctor had been very pleased with his progress. He'd said Todd's ankle had healed perfectly and that he could start practicing in a week.

  Todd slowed down and turned into the Sweet Valley High parking lot, which was now packed. Some kids were piling into cars and hopping onto motorcycles, and others were hanging around, talking in animated groups. Todd weaved his way carefully through the crowded lot, looking for familiar faces.

  "Hey, Wilkins!" a voice yelled from behind him. Todd pulled the car to a stop and leaned out the window. Aaron Dallas jogged over.

  "Need a lift?" Todd asked, leaning over to open the passenger door.

  "Thanks, man," Aaron said. He climbed into the BMW. "My car's in the shop, and I lost the guys in the crowd on the way out."

  "Have you seen Elizabeth around?" Todd asked.

  Aaron shook his head. "I haven't seen any of the girls at all tonight."

  "Well, maybe I'll catch her at the Dairi Burger," Todd said, revving the engine, "That's where you're headed, right?"

  Aaron smiled. "Where else?"

  Todd put his foot on the gas gently, slowly making his way through the parking lot.

  "That was a close game, wasn't it?" he asked. "I just made it in time for the second half."

  "You missed quite a show," Aaron said. "The Pumas pulled just about every stunt in the book."

  Todd shook his head. "Those guys give sports a bad name."

  "Hey, there's Ken," Aaron said, pointing across the lot.

  Todd looked in the direction he indicated. Ken was standing alone at the far end of the parking lot. He was walking in a small circle, mumbling to himself and kicking at the gravel.

  "Uh-oh, looks like some male bonding is in order," Todd said.

  Aaron nodded. "Big time," he agreed.

  Ken kicked at a stone aggressively. The guys on the team were dissatisfied with his decision to turn the other cheek, and now Jessica was mad at him as well. He wasn't
sure if he should have given the guys his pep talk. As captain of the football team, he was the one responsible for the well-being of the squad. It was his role to keep the ethical standards of the team high, but it was also his role to protect his players from foul play. How could he just let those Palisades punks take his players down one after another?

  Suddenly Todd's BMW roared to a stop by his side.

  "You coming to the Dairi Burger?" Todd asked, leaning out the window.

  "Nah, I'm gonna just hang low tonight," Ken mumbled.

  Todd cut the engine, pulled open the door, and sprang out of the car. "Look, man!" he exclaimed, jumping from one foot to the other.

  Ken didn't know why Todd was doing a dance on the pavement, but it was irritating him. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood except for him. First Jessica. Now Todd. Didn't they realize the football team had just been slaughtered and that he had been personally humiliated?

  "Notice anything different?" Todd asked.

  Ken sniffed the air. "Are you wearing a new perfume?" he asked sarcastically.

  Todd rolled his eyes and lifted a foot in the air.

  "Oh, you got your cast off," Ken said in a lackluster voice. "That's great."

  Todd looked at Aaron and shook his head. "It's worse than I thought." Aaron climbed out of the car and stood next to Ken.

  "What's worse than you thought?" Ken asked.

  "The postgame blues," Todd said. "I know it well."

  Aaron clapped Ken on the shoulder. "Hey, don't take it so hard," he said encouragingly.

  "From what I could see, you guys looked great out there," Todd said. "We should have won."

  "That's just it," Ken said. "They took out my best players deliberately in the first half of the game."

  "I heard about it," Todd said. "The ref should have done something about it."

  "He couldn't," Ken said. "The Pumas were sneaky—and smart. Only the players could tell their hits were illegal. From the stands it looked like everything was in order."

  Aaron shook his head. "Maybe the ref couldn't do anything, but it was clear to everybody what was going on. Players don't go down that hard in a normal football game."