freshman’s okay once I’m done eating.” Gotta keep my energy up for the game tomorrow.
He stuffs more fries in his mouth. “You know, there’s no more dangerous creature on Earth than the teenage girl.”
“Hey! I’m a girl.” I punch him in the arm.
“Ow…” he says, rubbing his bicep, but then he smiles. “So about this afternoon?”
“I’m sorry—I have plans.”
“Oh, okay…”
“So who’s the redhead?” I ask JJ.
“No idea,” he says, shrugging. “Cute though, don’t you think?”
I don’t know what comes over me when I grab some of Ty’s French fries and say, “Hey, Ty, guess who I am?” and lean across the table toward Carter and start trying to feed him.
JJ and Ty laugh.
“Nasty,” Carter says, batting my hand away. “You know I hate school food, Woods.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, sitting back down in my chair. “These are the best steak fries in town.”
“Agreed,” Ty says. Smiling, he opens his mouth, like he wants me to give him a fry. So I pop one in his mouth.
Oh my God.
Did I just feed Ty a fry?
I should probably take my temperature.
stupid fitted tee
“What the hel ’s wrong with you, Henry?” I say, shoving him up against a locker.
“What?” he says, shoving me back.
“I told you to take Ty home, not let him get molested by Kristen.”
“He wasn’t complaining last night! I think he had a great time.”
I shake my head.
“What do you care what he does, Woods?” Smiling, he raises his eyebrows at me and looks down at my black tee.
“I don’t care.”
Henry keeps grinning. “Yeah, that’s bul shit. Since when do you wear shirts like that? We never get to see your boobs.” I shove him again. “Fuck, Woods, do you like this guy or something?” he whispers, shoving me back.
I move to shove him yet again, but he jumps out of the way. Damned bal erina reflexes. “I care about my team. Ty told me you didn’t drop him off until late. You shouldn’t be out past midnight two days before our first game.”
“So he made it home then?”
“What do you mean?”
“He wouldn’t let me take him al the way home. He had me let him out on the highway. It was weird, but I could tel he was serious. He didn’t want me anywhere near his house.”
How bad could his house be? Half the guys on my team live in trailers—it can’t be worse than that.
I stare into Henry’s eyes and tan face, which has broken out recently. He never used to have acne, but now he’s got a smattering of it.
“Sam?” I say, grabbing his hand.
“Yeah?” he says, burying his other hand in his crazy hair.
“Um, I’m wondering if everything’s okay with you. Are you stressed out or anything?”
He sighs and leans against the lockers. “Yeah—maybe a little.”
“Is it Carrie?”
He shakes his head.
“Then what’s up?”
He brushes the curls off his forehead and stares at his flip-flops. “I dunno…a lot’s up…Dad’s never home and Mom’s sadder than ever…I’m worried about col ege. I want to go so bad and I think a footbal scholarship is the only way my family wil be able to afford it.”
Judging by his eyes darting around and that familiar twitch of his mouth, I can tel he’s hiding something. But I rub his arm anyway and play along.
“I know. But you’re great—just keep playing hard and you’l be fine. And I’m sure you can get some money since you have great grades.”
He stares at flyers tacked al over the bul etin board on the other side of the hal way. “I hope so. My future’s riding on footbal .”
“I get it,” I say, and looking away from Henry, I notice Ty coming down the hal . He stops for a sec when he sees me with Henry, but just passes right by us and doesn’t say anything as he goes into the art room.
Henry smiles, shaking his head. “Listen, I won’t say anything to anyone about your liking Ty. Promise.”
I wince.
He bumps his fist into mine, then puts an arm around me and walks me down