Page 20 of Off Limits
‘I should tell you, I’m persistent,’ I state.
‘You have a good day now,sir,’ she says, and her emerald eyes sparkle when she says it.
‘See you on the field?’ I say, pocketing my wallet.
‘See you on the field.’
I back away to the door, her sweet smile like a big hit of adrenaline that’s gonna set me up for the day.
Nope. She is definitelynotgonna make this easy for me.
I arrive home after a day’s training to find River hunched over the kitchen table, surrounded by books.
‘Homework already?’ I ask, heading for the sink and switching on the faucet.
She leans back and lets out a groan. ‘I swear, in Philly, I got half this amount. Monday, I got a Spanish test already. And everybody down here is really good at Spanish.’
I wash my hands. ‘It’s called a border with Mexico.’
‘You left early this morning.’
‘Had to get to practice.’
‘It was the morning after your first game! Thought you said practice didn’t start ’til later.’
I switch off the faucet, dry my hands and head for the fridge, which has been well-stocked by my mother. I survey the contents and help myself to some sandwich-making materials.
‘Had to make a pitstop first. How was school today?’
River gives a shrug.
‘You talk to anyone?’
She pulls a face and talks like she’s a redneck. ‘So, like, is your brother really Mutineers running back Jake Walsh?’
‘And did they believe you?’
‘I don’t care if they did or not. It was all they could ask me yesterday too.’
‘So did you meet anybody nice?’
‘The guys are all jocks and all the girls wanna talk about is makeup tutorials. So far, so high school.’
She’s pulling more zombie faces. ‘I should rephrase my question. Were you nice to anyone?’
‘I’m not acompleteidiot.’
‘Just try to make friends, okay? Only gotta make it ’til you graduate.’
‘Hey, dipshit, it’s your fault that I’m the one having to change high schools for my senior year in the first place.’
‘I know that. I just think you’d make your life easier if you could be a little more… maybe a littlelesscontroversial.’
‘Alright, your royal highness… jeez. By the way, you have mail.’
She reaches across the table and passes me an envelope. The paper feels expensive. I open it up and read the contents.
‘What is it?’ River asks.
