“Jamee, you’re lying! I can always tell when you’re lying. You got in a fight, didn’t you?” Darcy demanded.

Jamee glared at Darcy. “Why don’t you just leave me alone? Aren’t things bad enough around here without you dogging me like a cop or something? Just leave me alone!”

“Jamee, if somebody hit you, I want to know about it,” Darcy pleaded. “I don’t want people beating up on my little sister!”

“What if somebody did punch me?” Jamee said. “So what? What are you gonna do about it? I fell down doing cheers, okay? That’s what I’m saying went down, and you don’t know any different, okay? So just mind your own business!” Jamee hurried into her room and slammed the door.

Darcy knew Jamee was not telling her everything. She decided to call Alisha Wrobel, Jamee’s old friend from school. Darcy rummaged through the phone book and found the number.

“Hi, Alisha, this is Darcy, Jamee Wills’ sister. Listen, was there a fight at school today?”

“Um . . . a fight? I didn’t see any fight. I was in the library during the free period and . . . I just don’t know about any fight,” Alisha said.

“Jamee said she fell down during cheerleading practice, but she’s so banged up she looks as if somebody hit her,” Darcy said. “Alisha, you’re on the cheerleading squad too. Were you guys practicing today?”

“Today? Sorry. Gotta go. Mom’s calling. Bye. ” The phone clicked in Darcy’s ear.

Darcy went to Jamee’s room and rapped on the door.

“Go away,” Jamee yelled.

“Jamee, you gotta talk to me or I’m calling Mom,” Darcy said.

After a few seconds, Jamee opened the door. “What do you want? Haven’t you done enough? You messed it up for me with Bobby, and now you just wanna rub it in my face. Just leave me alone!”

“Did Bobby Wallace hit you?” Darcy demanded.

A frightened look came onto Jamee’s wounded face. Her eyes grew enormous. “No, he didn’t! Whoever told you that is a dirty liar. I was in his car for two minutes, and all he did was yell and cuss me out. If that little witch Alisha Wrobel said Bobby hit me, she’s lying—she couldn’t even see what happened in the car. ”

“Jamee, you’re lying. You broke up with that punk, and he hit you!” Darcy stormed.

Panic showed in Jamee’s eyes. “Don’t stick your nose in this, Darcy. I’m warning you. You’ll only make things worse. Somebody could get hurt!” Jamee turned and slammed the door in Darcy’s face.

Darcy felt sick. As long as Jamee denied that Bobby had hit her, there was nothing Darcy could do. But it made Darcy furious to think that Bobby had worked out his rage on her little sister.