“Can I come to your game tomorrow?” I asked, grasping his hand. “It's a home game, right?”
“Yeah,” he said. “That would be awesome. Assuming we even play.” He pointed at some storm clouds off in the distance, and as we watched, we saw a faint flash of lightning. A brisk wind was also starting to pick up.
“I can't wait,” I said, smiling. “I may even make up a big sign that says 'I Heart #9'.”
Without warning, he started laughing; low at first, but within seconds it grew into a raucous belly laugh. He tried to contain it, but failed.
I gave him a puzzled look. “What's so funny? You don't like that idea?”
Still laughing, he said, “No, I think it's great. I'm sure Andy will get a big kick out of it.”
Now I was really confused. “Who's Andy?”
Finally, the laughter subsided, but his smile was huge. “Sixth-grader on my team. He wears number nine.”
My eyes widened. “I thought you wore number nine.”
“No,” he said, “I wear number six.” He started laughing again.
Finally, I got the joke. My face must have turned about four shades of red.
“Ohhhhhh …” I said, a smile breaking through the embarrassment, “That would have been awkward!”
He bent over. He just couldn't stop laughing. “It might be worth it just to see the look on his face … my girlfriend holding up a sign saying she 'hearts' him!”
“Okay, okay, you got me,” I said, giving him a playful shove.
We sat in silence for another minute. He gazed at me, not speaking. He smiled, and I smiled back.
The wind was really blowing now. “I guess we'd better get going.”
“I … don't want to go home,” he said. A sad look crossed his face.
I squeezed his hand. “I know. I don't either. But we'll see each other tomorrow.” A lone raindrop hit the top of my head. “I hope,” I added.
We stood up. More raindrops were falling. I stared at his face. He was looking at me, and I could see his mouth move, like there were a thousand things he wanted to say, but nothing came out.
When he finally spoke, I could barely hear him over the wind. “Eve, I …” He trailed off.
I smiled, then nodded. “I love you too.” I gave him one more quick kiss, and then I pulled my hood over my head and ran back home as fast as I could.
* * *
By the time I went to bed, the rain was coming down in buckets. I looked out my bedroom window, sighing. Stupid weather.
Chapter 45
DAY 54
JOSHUA
My soccer team had had two practices that week, and it began to feel as though we were starting to gel as a team. This was a good thing, given that our team name was “The United,” which my dad christened us after his favorite English soccer squad, Manchester United. We worked on passing fundamentals, footwork and team defense, and I was really looking forward to helping our team rebound from the drubbing we'd taken the week before.
Unfortunately, the storm that blew in on Friday night turned into a downpour, complete with thunder and lightning. Dad made a few phone calls late in the afternoon, and told me that today's game would be made up on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.
I was super-bummed. Not only had we missed another shot at having Eve see me play soccer, but we'd also missed another chance for her to meet my family. I almost felt guilty.
When we finished dinner, I took a rare opportunity to call Eve on the phone. Hearing her voice immediately made up for the gloominess of the day. Believe it or not, we still hadn't been on a proper date: between school, soccer and the insanity of daily life, it had been difficult to find the time. We planned a date for tomorrow, weather permitting.
Chapter 46
DAY 55
EVE
At long last, my first actual date with Joshua had come. Thankfully, the rainstorm had diminished to a light drizzle, so we decided to go bowling. My mom and I picked him up, and she drove us to the nearest alley. We had more actual fun there together than we'd ever had before.
We stayed there for hours, bowling, drinking soda, eating junk food, playing video games and just having fun … mixed in with the occasional kiss, of course. Just a guy and a girl out on a date. It was awesome. For a short while, life felt utterly, blissfully normal.
I watched as his latest throw clanked into the gutter. I smiled as he sat back down next to me with a comical “whoops” look on his face. It was so cute.
I leaned over and kissed him. Most of our kisses were very brief, just pecks, but I just didn't want this one to end. I wrapped my arms around him, and felt his arms tighten around me. We made it last a long time, like the one in the dugout.
When I faced him again, he was smiling my favorite smile. “Someone's in a good mood,” he said.
A couple of grown-ups were frowning at us from several lanes away, obviously not approving of two thirteen-year-olds making out in public. The hell with them. I ran a hand through his hair, caressing his cheek. I could tell he was still a little self-conscious about being affectionate in front of other people, so I just held his hand.
“I'm so happy right now,” I said, staring into his eyes.
He grinned. “Of course you are. You're kicking my butt.”
I laughed. “That's not what I meant.”
“I know,” he said, squeezing my hand.
We sat in silence, looking at each other. “I love you,” I finally said.
He averted his eyes slightly. “I … love you too.”
“I mean it, Joshua.”
“So do I. It's just … hard to say sometimes.”
“Why?” I asked. “Is it a 'guy' thing?”
“No,” he said, meeting my gaze again. A sad look came over his face. “I was alone for a very long time. I thought I'd always be alone. That no girl would ever say that to me.” He squeezed my hand again. “But look at me now. Here I am, with the most beautiful girl in the world. I'm just not used to hearing it, I guess. Or saying it.” His face had turned red.
I blushed too. I loved it when he said things like that. “You know, Joshua, when I was a little girl, I used to love fairy tales.”
He smiled. “Don't all little girls love fairy tales?”
“Pretty much. We all want to be princesses. But you can't have a princess without a handsome prince. Not in a fairy tale, anyway.”
“I guess not,” he said.
“Those fairy tale endings … that's what a little girl's idea of true love is. We get it in our heads that we need the handsome prince to give us our 'happily ever after'. Then we grow up, and we stop reading fairy tales. But we still want the handsome prince … or at least, the closest thing we can find to it.”
“Is that what you were looking for?” he asked.
“I guess I was. It's funny … most girls our age think that all boys our age are dumb.”
He cocked his eyebrow. “Well, when it comes to girls, most of us are.”
“Yeah, but most girls our age aren't any smarter, even though we all think we are. We all act like we know exactly what we want, but we don't, really. Deep down, we still want life to be a fairy tale, but … it isn't. It's just … life. I guess that's 'the line' we talked about before.”
He nodded. “It's a tough line to cross. When you do, in a way, you're not a kid anymore. And now that we've both crossed that line …”
“I know what's most important to me,” I said, finishing his sentence. “My friends. My family. And you.” I edged closer, putting my arm around him. “The truth is, in real life, most handsome guys aren't princes. And most princes aren't handsome guys.”
He grinned cheekily. “Are you saying I'm not handsome?”
I gently tweaked his nose. “Of course you are, Joshua. You're just handsome in ways that most people can't see. But I see it.” I smiled. “So let my dumb classmates chase their fairy tale ending. I've already found my prince.”
He closed his eyes. When he opened them
again, I saw a look of contentment that I'd never seen before. He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. “I love you, Eve. And I'll never be afraid to say that again.”
I leaned into him, and we shared another amazing kiss.
After another minute of blissful silence, I stood up, grabbing a ball from the rack. “Now that that's settled … you ready for another butt-kicking?”
He laughed. “Go for it.”
We spent the rest of our date talking about all of the friends and supporters we had now. Kelsey's army grew every single day, and Mrs. Hoffmeyer was making excellent progress converting the faculty to our cause.
Joshua had gotten to know Emily and Susan quite well, and they'd gotten to know him. Any lingering scars that may have been left by my previous rift with them had now disappeared. The four of us were a team.
Despite losing the Island, Joshua and I were feeling more and more invincible. We now had more friends and allies than I could list.
Rhonda's empire of destruction was crumbling.
Chapter 47
DAY 56
JOSHUA
Another day, another note in my locker. This one said, “KISS HER GOODBYE,” which I immediately balled up and threw in the trash. This crap was not working on me anymore.
My outcast status had officially been revoked; guys who'd ignored me for the past three years were now openly talking to me, girls were treating me with more respect than they ever had before, and I'd almost completely rebuilt my relationship with David.
I'd been toying with the idea of introducing him to Susan; given their similar personalities – and heights – I thought they might hit it off.
My day hit a snag between Phys Ed and English class. I climbed a flight of stairs and ran right into Brent. Even though he was alone, it amazed me that my first reaction upon seeing him was not to run away, but to just keep walking by. True to form, as I was doing this, he stuck out his foot and tripped me, sending me sprawling.
“Wow, that never gets old,” he said. I used to have nightmares about this guy, but now I was just supremely annoyed.
Just get up and keep walking. Don't give him the satisfaction. So I did just that.
Halfway to English class, he ran up behind me and body-checked me into the outer wall of the building. Somehow, I stayed upright. Again, I said nothing. I just kept walking, and this time, he didn't follow.
“No wonder you hang out with girls, dog turd,” he called after me. “You're the biggest one of them all.” God, I hated his miserable voice.
* * *
During recess, Eve, Emily, Susan and I met up with Kelsey. I told them about my run-in with Brent.
“Did he hurt you?” Kelsey asked.
“Not really,” I said. “He was alone, and he didn't have enough time, I guess.”
“What did you do?” Emily asked.
“I just walked away. No fear, no tears, no nothing.” I smiled. “It felt pretty good, actually.”
Kelsey held out her fist, which I heartily bumped. “Boo-yah!” she said.
Eve also smiled, nudging me with her shoulder. “Look at you go.”
I almost couldn't believe it. I really hadn't been afraid of Brent. Something had changed inside me, and it had all started the day Eve and I became friends.
I felt more like a grown-up than I ever had before.
Chapter 48
DAY 56
EVE
Our support continued to grow. Several of my past acquaintances chose to disobey Rhonda's orders and talk to me, including Jenn, which made me feel better than I thought possible. They weren't long conversations, but it was still good to hear different voices after such a long time.
When the four of us left the cafeteria, heading for our daily get-together with Kelsey, I saw Rhonda, Chloe and Kendra watching us from the upper concourse. The others didn't notice them, but I delighted in showing them my middle finger before we rounded the corner.
At the boundary, Joshua told all of us about his confrontation with Brent. I was so proud of how he'd dealt with the situation; he'd neither ran away nor stayed to take Brent on.
He'd grown so much in one short month. A far cry from the scared kid that I'd found, weeping and alone in the back row of the school bus, now he walked with more confidence than he ever had before. He'd even started wearing polo shirts in colors that were far more cheerful than the drab white tees he used to wear. Knowing I had something to do with that transformation made my head swell just a little.
* * *
On the bus ride home, Joshua asked, “Eve, I was wondering …” he trailed off, then continued, “You know my friend David?”
“Of course,” I replied. “You've mentioned him a few times in the last couple of weeks. What about him?”
“I'd like to bring him into our group some time,” he said, smiling slightly. “I think he's finally dealt with his sister's death, and his parents' divorce. He needs friends again, and I can't think of a better group to introduce him to than you girls.” He cocked his head slightly. “Especially Susan.”
I smiled. “That's really sweet, Joshua. And if he's the kind of person you say he is …”
“He's just like I was, Eve,” he said. “He's small, he's shy, and he's had a rough go of it. But he's such a good guy …” he trailed off, putting his arm around me. “I guess I'm hoping we can do for him what you girls did for me.”
I nodded. “You think he and Susan would get along?”
He looked thoughtful. “Well, it's not like I'm playing matchmaker or anything like that, but if I had to pick the one girl in our class that had the most in common with him, it'd be Susan. Maybe they can help each other break out of their shells a little more.”
“I like that idea,” I said. “You work on him, I'll work on her.” I leaned in close and whispered, “I think Emily likes Rick.”
The look on his face was priceless.
Chapter 49
DAY 57
JOSHUA
I ate lunch with Rick again, and filled him in on what was going on with Eve's mom, and Kelsey, and myself. I didn't mention that he had a new secret admirer because Eve had sworn me to secrecy on that little bit of gossip.
When I finished, he said thoughtfully, “A couple of weeks ago, we sat at this table, and the person sitting across from me was someone I barely recognized.”
“I can't have changed that much, dude,” I said, grinning.
He beamed. “Well, you look pretty much the same, but the fun guy I remembered from fifth grade wasn't there anymore. That look in your eyes worried the crap out of me.”
I remembered that conversation, and how I'd used it to turn Rick onto my side. I felt a little guilty about it, but he shrugged it off. “I took your suggestion and looked around,” he said. “And I didn't like a lot of what I saw. But what I see now,” he gestured to me, “is a way different person than the scared kid I saw two weeks ago.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Your body language is all different. Your shoulders aren't slumped, you don't walk with your head down, and that look of fear you had in your eyes before … well, I just don't see it anymore. It really is amazing.”
I smiled. “Well, there's one big reason for that, and it's three letters long,” I said.
“Eve,” he replied, nodding. “You're one lucky guy, Joshua. I see the way she looks at you … wish there was a girl who looked at me like that.” He took a big bite of his sandwich.
If only you knew, dude. “Thanks, big bro,” I said, smiling. I got up to leave. “See you at the courts in thirty?”
“Will do,” he said, and I turned and left, going out the entrance to the cafeteria nearest the food-line. This was usually frowned upon, but I still had to use stealth tactics as part of my routine. Besides, it was only a few yards from that entrance to the boundary where Kelsey and her friends were waiting. I knew Eve and the others would join me within minutes.
I walked out the door and up the sidewalk, looking f
or Kelsey. As I neared the boundary, she emerged from a crowd of ten-year-olds and walked toward me, smiling and waving. But as we got closer to each other, her smile vanished, and she started shouting something, but I couldn't quite hear her. By the time I realized she was screaming, “Look out!” it was too late.
I heard a stampede of footsteps behind me and turned my head to see who it was. Before I could, a heavy fist caught me in the face, and down I went. My head smacked the sidewalk, and then everything went hazy.
I wasn't very clear-headed when Brent and his friends picked me up and threw me into a large bush that was near the boundary. I rolled out of it before I could get stuck, landing on the ground next to the oak tree with a thud. I could hear Brent and his friends laughing a short distance away. I covered my head and waited for another blow, but just like that, the laughter stopped.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and glanced up. The bully squad wasn't looking at me anymore. They were looking at a girl, who had slipped in and positioned herself between them and me.
“You don't belong here,” she said to them through gritted teeth.
Kelsey. What the hell is she doing? Get up, you fool! She's going to get herself hurt!
Brent pointed and laughed, gesturing at the four-foot-ten pipsqueak that stood between them and their target. “Get lost, kid,” he said, obviously expecting immediate obedience.
Kelsey slowly shook her head. I'd never seen her looking so angry. Hell, I'd never seen her looking angry, period.
Brent had ceased to be amused. “Scram, brace-face. You have no idea who you're messing with.”
Kelsey remained still. “I know exactly who you are, Brent.” Then she looked over the faces of the other three boys, identifying them one by one. “Phil. Derek. Randy.”
They looked stupefied. How could this girl possibly know their names?
“You don't belong here,” she repeated.
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