Page 23 of Want to Know a Secret?

I have to say, I don’t entirely understand the soccer rules. I just find sports very uninteresting in general. Elliot will sometimes watch the game on TV, and I always go to the other room. But I get the general idea. One team is supposed to get the ball in one net, and the other team is supposed to get the ball in the other net. That’s enough to follow the game. Everything else is just extraneous information.

Bobby is not playing particularly well today. He’s had a few games where he’s made a lot of goals and been happy on the way home. That’s not the case today. But the team is doing well, largely thanks to Leo and Owen. Julie is cheering enthusiastically from the sidelines every time Leo scores a goal. She’s her kids’ biggest cheerleader.

I, on the other hand, am mostly shouting words of encouragement. “Come on, Bobby!” I call out. “Hit the ball!”

He looks up and makes a face at me.

Owen is kicking a ball down the field. Bobby is near the goal, but so is Leo. Owen looks between the two of them, and I’m certain he’s going to pass the ball to Leo. But at the last moment, he kicks it in Bobby’s direction. Bobby looks just as surprised as I feel, and he fumbles as he tries to kick that soccer ball as hard as he can, hoping to make his first goal of the game.

But the ball doesn’t go into the goal. It sails into the air, right at Leo Bressler’s face.

Which explodes in a fountain of blood.

Chapter 10

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much blood. It was just a soccer ball, for God’s sake. It’s not like somebody shot him in the face. But there’s blood gushing out of Leo’s nostrils, quickly staining his white jersey as the boy sobs hysterically.

It’s making me a little queasy, to be honest.

Julie screams, of course. I can’t blame her, but it is a touch overdramatic. I mean, it’s just a bloody nose. Although as I said, it’s a lot of blood. Even Mark looks a bit sick.

Thankfully, Sean has jogged over to the boy and seems to have the whole thing under control. Julie gives him some tissues from her purse, and he gets Leo putting pressure on it and tilting his head back. The first set of tissues gets soaked with crimson, but the second set fares better.

“My poor baby!” Julie cries as she tries to hug him. “We need to take you to the emergency room.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Sean says. “The bleeding seems to be stopping. I think he’s fine.”

“But his nose could be broken!”

“I don’t think so.”

Julie puts her hands on her hips. “Well, how do you know? You’re not a doctor.”

“I’ve got some idea. I broke mine—twice.” He taps the bridge of his nose, which is slightly crooked. “I think he’s okay. But you can take him in if you want.”

“Gee, thanks,” Julie mutters.

“I’m okay, Mom,” Leo says bravely. He’s a tough kid. You kind of have to be if Julie is your mother.

Julie turns around to glare at me. “This is all Bobby’s fault. What is wrong with that kid?”

My mouth falls open. “What are you talking about? It was an accident.”

Julie snorts. “Please. I heard him telling you how jealous he was of Leo. And you were telling him to kick the ball as hard as he could. He was aiming right for Leo’s face.”

I look at Bobby, who is hanging his head in the corner. A tear slips down his cheek. He didn’t hurt his best friend on purpose. If he could aim like that, he’d be the best kid on the team.

“It’s nobody’s fault,” Mark speaks up. “Sometimes kids get hurt during the game. Bobby didn’t mean to hit him. Now, Julie, if you want to take Leo to the emergency room—”

“Yes!” she snaps. “That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Julie grabs her son roughly by the arm and the two of them march off the field while Leo protests. God, I hope his nose isn’t broken. She’ll probably sue us.

No, she won’t really sue us. She’s just upset because her son is gushing blood from his nose. Julie can be very dramatic when she’s upset, but I’m sure she’ll calm down.

I start to go over to Bobby to see if he’s okay, but Sean is already bent down next to him, talking to him quietly. Sean’s shirt has Leo’s blood all over it, but he doesn’t seem bothered by it. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but I see a tiny smile spread across my son’s face.

While I’m watching Sean and Bobby talking, my phone buzzes inside my purse. It’s another text message. Probably Elliot, saying he’s off to the office for work. Saturday wouldn’t be complete without my husband rushing to work.