Covet (Clann)

eyebrows, Emily was nice enough not to make a big deal about Bethany’s visit. At least at first.
    “So, sis, you going to bring me here next week for my physical therapy sessions? The doctors said I’ll have two or three a week, maybe an hour or so each. We could probably schedule them in the afternoons if you want.” School would have half days all next week, with two final exams each day. I would be released from the hospital on Saturday so I could get rested up in time to attend them.
    “No can do,” Emily said while making a point to bite into a quarter-pounder with extra cheese. Her obvious attempt to torture me wasn’t working, though; I’d already inhaled a custom triple-decker from Dairy Queen an hour earlier courtesy of Bethany.
    “Why can’t you give me a ride?” It wasn’t like she would be sleeping in all week. She had to take final exams, too, and pass them, in order to graduate. And since it would be weeks before I could drive myself again, I would already be hitching a ride with Emily to school every morning.
    “Because after the exams, I have to stay for cheerleading practice with the varsity Maidens. And then after that, I’ll have to drive to Tyler to the University of Texas campus to practice with the college squad.”
    “Now I know you’re lying,” I grumbled. “It’s the end of the school year. What can you possibly need to practice for now?”
    “Lots of stuff,” she snapped back. “The UT cheer squad competes at cheer camp every summer, so we have to start getting ready for it as soon as possible. And since it’s a coed team and I have zero experience doing coed stunting, trust me when I say I need all the practice I can get with them. And I’m still working with the Maidens squad this month because I have to train my replacement for next year’s team captain. The Maidens voted in Sally Parker.”
    I snorted. “Well, there goes our varsity cheer squad for next year.”
    Even Bethany giggled at that, though she tried to cover it with her hand.
    Emily sighed. “Yeah, I know what you mean. The Maidens went for sweet and stupid instead of diabolical genius. I can’t really blame them, though. It was either her or Vanessa Faulkner. Nobody else wanted it.”
    I shuddered. “Good choice.” Vanessa was so mean she would run everyone off the team in no time if they’d chosen her for captain.
    Clearing her throat to hide another giggle, Bethany rose and picked up her things. “I’d better be going. Good luck next week.”
    “Thanks,” Emily and I both replied.
    “Hey, thanks for all the tutoring and the…well, you know,” I finished lamely, not wanting to mention the takeout and give Emily any more additional blackmail to use against me with our parents.
    Emily’s eyebrows rose again at that.
    “Sure!” Bethany said. She started out the door then stopped and turned back. “Hey, I could give you a ride to your physical therapy sessions next week. If you can get them set up after lunch, we could grab a bite to eat then head straight from school to here.”
    “Okay, but this time the grub’s on me,” I said. “Otherwise the deal’s off.”
    “You drive a hard bargain. See you Monday after school.” With a wave, Bethany turned and headed down the hall toward the elevators.
    Emily cleared her throat loudly.
    “What?”
    “She seems really nice.”
    “Yeah, she’s not too bad.”
    Emily threw a balled-up napkin at me. Bored, I used a little power to make it stop midair then reverse direction and zoom back at her. Laughing, she mimicked me, holding up a hand to halt the napkin.
    “I think she likes you.” She flicked her wrist and the napkin headed my way again.
    I caught it without touching it, bouncing it in the air a few times with my energy. Shrugging in response to her comment, I made a thumping motion at the napkin and it flew through the air to circle around Emily’s head.
    Ducking, she froze the napkin ball between her hands. “So unless you actually like her back, you might want to be careful.”
    We pretended the napkin was a basketball for a while, dribbling it off the ceiling, the walls, the TV screen, trying to outdo each other’s crazy bank shots.
    “Why can’t she just be a friend?” I suggested.
    “A girl who’s just your friend? I didn’t think you knew how to do that.”
    “Maybe I should learn. Lots of guys have female buddies, right?”
    “Mmm.” She caught the napkin as it veered off the bathroom door, deftly sending it