Free The Clique by Valerie Thomas

smile. This doesn’t sound—innocent.”
                  Hannah frowns. “Yeah, but what can you do? That’s why I wasn’t gonna tell you. You really can’t make him take it down or anything.”
                  All the girls agree. “He’ll probably take it down in a week anyway,” Kate speculates, in the exact tone Aude used to assure Maddie.
                  “Sure…” The friends talk until it’s time to go; after a half-hour, Maddie stumbles out of the recording room and returns to the group.
                  “Hey!” Aude smiles. “How did it go?”
                  Maddie just shakes her head.
                  “I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Kate says. She turns to Aude. “You wanna go watch the soccer game?”
                  “Yeah.” Aude nods. “You wanna come, Hannah?”
                  “No thanks. I’ve got Cross Country.”
                  Maddie doesn’t wait for them to ask her. “I just wanna go home and call it a night. And pray for a miracle on Monday.” She gives a weak laugh. “I could hang out tomorrow, though.”
                  “Okay, tomorrow.” Aude takes Kate by the arm, and they walk out to the soccer field. Unlike football, which attracts hundreds of students to the opening game, the first soccer game of the season brings only a few dozen spectators, mostly parents. Kate and Audrey find a seat near some other students their age, sporting green blazers.
                  “Hey, I can see Gabe!” Aude waves excitedly. “And Sean.”
                  “Where?” Kate looks at her. Aude points to the opposite end of the field, where a few of the players are warming up.
                  A loud commentator’s voice fills the stands. “Hello, and welcome to the first game of the season, between the George Washington Patriots and the Resolution Christian High Rams!” The green-jacketed boys hoot loudly. “The game starts in just fifteen short minutes, and I’d like to remind all spectators to please clean up after themselves. If you’re feeling thirsty, why not head to the refreshments stand? Proceeds from all sales benefit the Patriot Boosters. Support your team, and quench your thirst.”
                  Gabe spots Aude and jogs over to a fence separating the field and spectators. “Hey, you made it!”
                  “Of course!” Aude threads her fingers through the chain-link. “I’ve never missed one of your games.”
                  “Well, there was that one time. But you had the flu, so I guess that doesn’t count.” Gabe frowns, glancing over Audrey’s right shoulder. “You look a little cold. You want my jacket?”
                  “Uh, yeah, sure.”
                  Gabe takes off his red Patriots jacket and lowers it over the fence. Aude catches it by a sleeve and slips the jacket on; it looks ridiculously big on her, like an XXL hoodie.
                  “I’m gonna score a hat trick for you,” he promises, with one last glance over her shoulder. “Hey, be careful of those Resolution kids. They’re eyeing you pretty hard.”
                  “Huh?”
                  “Never mind, just stick with Kate. I’ll see you after the game, babe.”
                  “Ok.” Aude returns to the bleachers, rubbing the leather sleeves of Gabe’s jacket together. It really isn’t that cold.
                  Kate’s mouth is set in a half-scowl. “Do you know why Sean didn’t come over?”
                  “Nope. I think I saw him, though—oh, there, he’s talking to the coach. See?”
                  “Oh, alright.” The game begins. Aude and Kate cheer as loud as they can without going hoarse. The Patriots score a goal, then the Rams equalize, but