I was starting to wonder if you were coming after all,” Bri greeted me when I joined her in the middle of the third row of the visitor stands a few minutes later. The one small section of metal bleachers on this side of the field was already starting to fill up—probably because Jewel had done so much better than expected last week. “I mean, the team’s starting to warm up,” she continued as I sat down. “I’m sure the coaches are getting antsy because Rigel’s not—oh, there he is.” Of course my head whipped around when she said that, in time to see him trotting onto the field. I wondered how he’d changed so fast. “Where’s Deb?” I asked, forcing my attention back to Bri. “She couldn’t come. She told us. Both of us, but I guess you didn’t hear her. As usual. So,” she continued, looking more closely at me, “were you two making out?” “What?” I was sure I’d waited long enough that it wouldn’t be obvious, but of course when she said that, I felt my face heat.
