She grabbed a towel. “Maybe because you disrupted their manly game, and he wanted to stay away from Nina.”
I understood more than anyone how going to school with your ex could be tense and irritating. I’d had to watch Nikko date other girls. Suddenly, nausea settled in my stomach. I didn’t want to cause relationship trouble. Not that I could since Train and Nina weren’t dating, but all kinds of other thoughts surfaced, like Nina trying hard to get Train back and causing trouble for anyone who wanted to date him. I was all about trouble, but not that kind. My trouble was tagging, not fighting with kids.
“I tried to apologize,” I said.
“Give Train a couple of days to get over the shock. Actually, it will take a few days for all of us to get over the shock.”
“Do you think he’ll take Nina back?”Please say no.
“No way.”
I let out a silent breath as a Kenny Chesney song pumped out of the speakers close by.
Elvira sat on the blanket then dipped into her bag and removed a comb. “That pass was awesome. I’m in awe that you can throw a perfect spiral like you should be playing football.”
I leaned into her shoulder. “Thank you.” Not many people gave me compliments. I mostly got sneers or ribbing for things I said or did. The only compliment that kids had given me was for my artwork when I was part of a graffiti crew in New York. It was only my first day with these folks, and I’d already gotten two.
I was enjoying my compliment high, when Nina breezed toward us. She picked up her bag off the sand. “I need to go.”
“So you show up to cause trouble, and now you’re leaving,” Elvira said with some grit in her tone.
“It seems you’re not happy to see me either,” Nina said. “I thought we were friends.”
“In your dreams.” Elvira pulled the comb through her hair. “Stay out of our group. And as Reagan said, leave Train alone. He doesn’t want you here, and neither do we.”
Nina pursed her lips. “That’s for him to decide. And he will come around.” She hiked her bag on her shoulder and left.
I clapped.
Elvira rested back on her elbows. “She hurt Train. And no one hurts my friends.”
I liked Elvira and Reagan. I could get used to having them as friends. But I had to do everything possible to stay away from Train. I had my own heart to protect.
