Regardless, one thing I know is this. Hank Horton, my football coach, destroyed my brother’s athletic future, made a move on my mom (which is just totally gross), and, if Justin has it correct, is the steroid kingpin of Blaine Memorial High School.

Which means Hank Horton is one king who needs dethroning.

Chapter_12

12

After showering, I shove a pint and a pack of smokes down my pants and walk to Tank’s, where I knock on the front door three times. Nobody answers, so I peek through the glass triangle into the kitchen. The room is empty but the lights are on. The remains of a big McDonald’s breakfast lie strewn about the counter and table.

Walking around to the side of the house, I drop to my hands and knees in the dewy morning grass and look through the rectangular basement window overlooking Tank’s lair. The basement is dark. Where the hell could Tank be so early?

I cross the lawn for a look up the driveway. As usual, Big Dale’s blue pickup is nowhere in sight and the garage door is closed. The Foster estate is deserted.

Standing there at the foot of the driveway, the whole street seems lifeless, nothing but the endless droning of the assembly plant and its smokestacks in the distance. The sight of all the dirty bungalows, parched lawns, sagging maple trees, and general inactivity depresses me.

Where is everybody?

I’m about to take a lonely trip to the asphalt path to smoke a cigarette when I hear a girl’s laughter coming from behind Tank’s house. As I walk up the driveway, the laughter grows louder and my heart starts to dance. I stop at the chain-link gate that opens to the backyard and listen.

The laughter continues, innocent giggles followed by muffled conversation followed by more giggles. A smile crosses my face. Although I can’t see her, I know Sarah’s back there. I’ve memorized her voice as if it were a favorite song.

She’s talking on the phone. When she says bye and the street resumes its silence, my thoughts immediately turn to Brenda and her worldly advice. This is my moment, my chance to spill it all to Sarah. I have no idea how to say it and my heart’s thumping wildly at the thought of telling her, but it’s here if I want it and I know I have to act quickly because Tank, or Big Dale, or both, could come home at any moment.