Losers Take All by Klass David

Author:Klass, David [Klass, David]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780374301378
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

22

Something had changed at Muscles High. I felt it when I first walked in the main entrance, past the trophy cases. The statue of Arthur Gentry still greeted us near the front door and the same impressive collection of gold cups and plaques glittered out at us, but the Losers story was all anyone wanted to talk about.

Frank and I were in the same homeroom, and I had never seen him so excited.

“You’re looking at the most famous sleeping goalie in North America.”

“That could be because you’re the only goalie in North America who falls asleep during games,” I told him. “Any idea who put the video together?”

“No one knows,” he told me. “I just wish there were a few more shots of me. I don’t think they got my best side.”

“It’s hard to get your best side when you’re sleeping on your stomach,” I told him. “You’ve gotta learn to fall asleep on your back.”

“I can crash in virtually any position,” Frank replied confidently. And then: “Did you see the Star Dispatch?”

“No,” I told him. “I was up late and I barely made it to school this morning. Were we in the newspaper, too? What’s the big news?”

“It wasn’t exactly news,” Frank said. “It was an editorial about Muhldinger using the words ‘morons’ and ‘spastics’ as insults. It said they weren’t just politically incorrect but also hurtful. And his line about how if he were one of us he’d dig a hole and bury himself was not merely destructive and vicious, but—according to the editorial—it could encourage suicidal thinking among teens with poor self-esteem.”

I laughed. “I have my low moments, but I’ve never thought of burying myself.”

“I’m not sure if it’s even physically possible,” he admitted. “But it’s still hurtful.”

“Is Muhldinger in real trouble?” I asked.

Frank grinned. I think he hated Muhldinger as much as Becca did. “When he let loose at us on the bus he really screwed himself. The video’s getting worldwide exposure and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Dylan heard from his mom that the school board is taking this very seriously. There’s a clause in his contract as principal that relates to good conduct, so they can fire his ass if they want to.”

In second-period chemistry, my childhood friend Rob Powers came over to me. He was moving slowly and gingerly, recovering from the rib injury he’d gotten in the Smithfield game. “Hey,” he said, “I’ve been reading about your bozo team.”

“You and three million other people,” I said. “Isn’t it freaky?”

“‘Freaky’ is the word.” He nodded. “The football team is not amused.”

“Amusing the Fremont football team isn’t something I spend too much time worrying about,” I told him.

Rob stepped closer. “I get that. Just be careful. Some people are pretty pissed off.”

“I’ve done absolutely nothing,” I told him truthfully.

“But you’re the captain?”

“Because nobody else wanted the job.”

He glanced around and then lowered his voice: “Hey, I’d like you to think about something a little radical.”

I looked back at him over the orange flame of a Bunsen burner.

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