Ivan made contact through my uncle this morning. We’re leaving for our trip across the country tomorrow. Soon, Mom says, we’ll be able to move into a new home. But we’re going to have to take our time getting to Connecticut. Ivan wants to make sure we’re not being followed or tracked in any way. So, we’ll drive out of here before the sun rises and head south for a little while.
Right now, the sun is high in the sky as I wander through the resort with my notebook in my hand, looking for a quiet spot to sit and write. I’ve been working on a pretend article about the campsite; I’ve interviewed my uncle and a few of the staff. I may not have a new school paper to write for yet, but this is good practice.
“Hey! Skylar, get over here!” Ben waves to me from the middle of the field a bunch of the guys have designated as theirs.
I don’t know what kind of sport they’ve been playing every day because I always turn away whenever I wander nearby. Today, though, I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t realize I’ve walked close enough for Ben to notice me.
I wave back at him but keep walking past, hoping he’ll take the hint.
He doesn’t.
“Sky!” He jogs across the field until he’s directly in front of me.
“Ben, I don’t want to play. Thank you for the offer,” I add politely.
He laughs. “I don’t need your polite dismissal, baby sister.”
I stop and look into his mischievous expression. “Whatdoyou need?” I ask him suspiciously.
He gestures to the crowd of boys mingling in the middle of the grassy field. The mountains make a beautiful backdrop behind them, but I’m too focused on shedding Ben to appreciate the view right now.
“Ben, you know I hate sports.”
“I know.” He throws his arm around me. “This won’t take long, promise.”
“What are we—” I reluctantly let him lead me toward one of the two groups of guys.
“We’re short one player,” he explains, and I groan.
“How’s that? You’ve been playing every other night just fine.”
“Todd went home. He was our best wide receiver.”
“Oh, great. So I not only have to replace someone—he was your former star player?”
“Don’t worry,” Ben says unconvincingly. “It’ll be fun. Who knows? This one game could change your life. And you can thank me later.”
“Ha, ha,” I say. “I don’t think anything’s going to change. I’ll still hate sports after this game, believe me. And I refuse to be tackled.”
“It’s flag football,” Ben says. “You’ll be fine.”
I stop short. “Fine, I’ll play. But I’ll meet you out there, okay? I have to pull my hair up first.”
As soon as he leaves, I place my notebook on a nearby bench. Then, I fix my hair into a ponytail and take a few deep breaths. Just the idea of being close to a football game is making my breath uneven.
But I don’t want to let my fears control me anymore. Maybe Ben’s right. In some small way, this game could be a turning point for me. At the very least, I can prove to myself that a football is nothing to be scared of.
I square my shoulders, lift my chin, and head for the field.
As soon as I get close to the two groups of guys, I noticehim.
A guy around my age.
Blond. Built. And sure of himself.
And he’s looking right at me. Those blue eyes are crystal clear. And the intense look on his face is mesmerizing.
Without thinking about what I’m doing, I start toward him.
