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I nodded, but neither of us moved.

After several more breaths, I pushed myself off the wall and peered around the corner of the shed. Most of the fence was crawling with morning glory vines, its purple flowers and green leaves providing a thick cover. “We’re good.”

We reached the corner. I pushed on the fence, revealing how the sides were only connected to each other at the top and bottom.

His eyebrows popped up. “What kind of delinquent are you?”

I stepped through the opening. “The kind that really didn’t want to have to climb today.”

He laughed, following me through.

“And if this year’s team is anything like last year’s, then there should be…” I kicked aside some leaves that covered a hole revealing a soccer ball. I picked it up and bounced it several times from one knee to the other. It was a little dirty but aired up, which let me know that either Deja had carried on the midnight birthday tradition with others or someone else had. For a second I was hurt I hadn’t been invited, but I’d done it to myself when I dropped out.Moved on with my life. I gave one last bump with my knee, sending the ball flying toward Theo. He caught it.

“Not too sore to knee a soccer ball, I guess.”

“I have put on my brave face,” I said.

“That’s what your brave face looks like?”

“What does yours look like?”

“No wincing is involved.” He dropped the ball and tapped it to me. Without a word we passed it back and forth as we walked to the middle of the field.

“Does football start with a kickoff too?” I asked when we stopped.

“Yes,” he said. “But that’ll feel easy after you master this.”

“If you say so,” I responded.

“Then the opposite team returns it and game play starts. The driving toward the endzone.”

“I thought you were going to make me learn the rules on my own,” I said.

“Yeah, well, we’re here.” He backed away from me, putting space between us so he could kick the ball farther.

“You better watch out. If you keep helping people like this, they might take your School Jerk title away.”

“Who awarded me that title? Jensen?”

“Among other people,” I said.

“And you agree?”

“I…” I hesitated.

“It’s time to start forming your own opinions, don’t you think?”

My mouth opened and shut. I wanted to say that I had plenty of my own opinions, but I wasn’t proving that very well. I wasfinally able to stutter out, “Jensen has taken over your spot in my book. But you still hold the cocky title. Walking around with your earbuds in all the time with that face and that body.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I was born with two of those things. Can’t really help it.”

“But you think you’re better than everyone.”

“You must agree that I’m the best to some extent. You chose me to teach you, after all.”

“I was desperate,” I said.

He smirked. “Good to know.”