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ever managed to say something quite so perfect to me before.
Of course, I said. I don t plan on it.
Colt snorted back a laugh. Oh, come on. You re going to get a lot of attention. I m just glad I got to you first.
I thought about saying something like even if you d gotten to me last, you d be the only one I d want to date but something stopped me. Thank goodness. I knew
it d be too much for a pre-first date conversation.
Yeah, you should be, I joked and he laughed again, sending shivers down my spine.
Listen, I ve got a few tests to study for and I better get it done tonight if I want to see you Friday. I ll see you soon, Whit.
He hung up before I could say good-bye. I smiled to myself, thoughts of determining the molarity of substances for Coach A gone. I could finish the assignment in the
morning. Right now, all I wanted to do was think of Colt.
Whitney!
The second I stepped out of my mom s car on Friday morning, I heard someone shout my name. I turned around and smiled at the sight of Trenton hurrying towards
me from the parking lot.
Morning.
Hey, he replied. Look, I have to warn you right away. Today is going to be crazy. Everyone is just sort of stunned by you. You re all anyone could talk about last
night. Everyone wants to know who you are. I bet even Ella and Amanda won t have anything bad to say.
I snorted. Let s not be ridiculous.
Trust me, Trenton replied. You weren t talking to people last night.
Yo! Trenton!
A guy with wavy blond hair and bright green eyes approached us. I d never seen him before. Trenton shot me a see-what-I-mean look.
What s up, Dylan? he said.
Dylan just shrugged then glanced out over the parking lot that was slowly filling with cars. I smiled to myself, realizing that Dylan might only be here because I was.
Okay, then, Trenton said after a small, awkward pause. If you don t have anything to say, we ll see you later.
Actually, Dylan began, suddenly springing to life. He turned to face me, a goofy grin spreading across his face. It s nice to meet you. You were, uh, amazing in the
game yesterday. I, um, would ve...said hi to you earlier, but I don t remember seeing you before. Clinton Central is so big.
It s cool, I replied, trying not to grin. I knew what this was, that I was only somebody now because of the game, but it didn t bother me like maybe it should have.
This was what I d wanted; this was what came with what I loved.
Well, it s really great to meet you, he said, apparently unsure of what else to say to me. I ll see you around, Whitney. He winked and I struggled not to laugh.
Count on it.
The rest of the day flew by. I was convinced that I had met at least three-quarters of the student body by the time I went to practice that afternoon and I d loved
every minute of it.
Their attention, though superficial at best, meant that I finally had made it to where I wanted to be. It didn t matter to me that they only wanted to talk to me because I
had played well. I d take that over the silent treatment every time.
Practice that afternoon went fantastically. Just about everyone congratulated me on my outstanding game the night before. The atmosphere around the team felt light
and fun and free and happy. Coach Alvarez was in a particularly great mood; he let us run just six laps instead of our customary ten.
Let s get pizza tonight to celebrate, Craig suggested as we stretched.
I can t. I have plans.
Oh, with your friends from Ash Valley? Bring them, he said. I want to meet them, anyway.
No. I, um, I have a date.
What? Craig s eyes sparked. With who? Do I know him? Oooh, is it Dylan Vrabel?
I laughed. No, he goes to Sutter.
Sutter? My cousin s a sophomore there. I hit up a lot of their parties with her. What s his name?
Colt.
Colt Lombardt?
I realized that I didn t know.
He plays for their football team, Craig continued. Linebacker.
Yeah. I nodded. Gotta be him.
Wait, so you were playing against your boyfriend and you didn t even tell me? He paused, then wrinkled his brow. Your boyfriend was trying to sack you?
Um.... I trailed off. I d had no trouble telling Trenton about this, but for some reason, telling Craig suddenly felt like a whole different ball game.
Oh, whoa, he said. I get it. You met him Tuesday at the game, didn t you?
My first instinct was to lie, to just say that I hadn t wanted anyone to know that I knew an opponent during my first game, but I d never get away with it. Craig knew
Colt and even if he didn t ask him about it, I knew I couldn t count on Trenton not to spill the beans.
Yeah, I finally said.
He talked to you after the game? That s cute.
I closed my eyes. No one had mentioned Colt to me since the morning after it had happened and I d been sure I d gotten away with my forbidden rendezvous on the
sideline. I never guessed it would come up now.
Whitney, that s really bad, Craig said, interpreting my silence correctly. It s so...unsportsmanlike.
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