Lucy tried to ignore her discomfort and continued with her questions. “I understand you guys all go away to summer training camp for a week or so. Did any hazing take place at the camp? Like playing Twister?”

Justin had joined Matt at the cooler, increasing Lucy’s sense of confinement. She was beginning to think the boys were not simply inconsiderate but were purposely harassing her.

“Twister? That’s a game for kids,” said Justin.

“Not the way you guys play it, at least that’s what I’ve heard,” said Lucy, trying to make a joke.

It didn’t go over well. Now Will had joined the others at the cooler. They seemed to be moving closer, pressing her against the wall.

“Uh, fellas,” she said, protesting. “This is a pretty small room but I don’t think we all need to stand so close.”

“What, don’t you know about huddles?” Matt punched Justin in the arm, and he lurched towards her, knocking the pad from her hand.

Lucy felt herself growing angry. She was in a ridiculous situation and she couldn’t see a way out of it. Her instinct was to tell them off, to assert her authority as an adult, but she sensed they would just laugh at her. Physically, she was much smaller than they were and she had a feeling that this was a situation in which size mattered. “Come on, guys,” she said, keeping her tone light. “This is enough. You say there’s no hazing, there’s no hazing. Now I’ve got other things to do.”

She might as well have been talking to the wall. Justin had now raised one hand in a defensive posture and was pummeling Matt with the other. Will was jumping up and down, encouraging him. Lucy was shrinking back into her corner, trying to avoid their fists. She was so absorbed in trying to protect herself that she didn’t notice the door had opened until the boys stopped boxing and moved away from her.

“What’s going on here?” demanded Coach Buck.

“Uh, nothing, sir,” said Matt.

“It didn’t look like nothing to me,” said the coach, turning to Lucy. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” said Lucy, simultaneously relieved to be rescued and embarrassed that it was necessary. “The boys were just horsing around.”

“Well, I think they owe you an apology,” he said, glaring at them.

“Sorry,” muttered Matt, followed by the others.

“No problem,” said Lucy, taking a deep breath and stepping away from the wall.

“He gave the boys a warning glance and ushered her out into the gym. “What was that all about?”

“I was interviewing them for a story and when Mr. Berg was called away, they got a little rowdy. That’s all.”

His eyes met hers. “What sort of story?”

“The hazing rumors. They all denied it, but their behavior in there makes me wonder,” said Lucy, as they walked together toward the exit.