“Thanks, Liz.”
His parents pull him away to dispense hugs and congratulations.
Jayson’s opponent, the one he just decimated in freestyle, walks over to where me, Ryder, and Julien are standing. He has short-cropped honey blond hair and goggles hanging around his neck. As boys go, he’s pretty cute.
“Hey,” he lifts his chin at us. “I just wanted to come over and congratulate the winner.”
Jayson hears him and pulls away from his parents.
“Thanks, man.”
“That was pretty epic dude. I thought I had you and then you shot away from me on the last lap. I didn’t stand a chance. I’m Elijah by the way. I go to Highland Middle.” Elijah holds out his fist and Jayson bumps it with his own. What is it with guys and fist bumps?
“You were great too. I had to push myself hard just to stay even with you.”
Elijah looks at me. “This your sister?”
Is he asking about me? Like any teenage girl that gets the attention of a cute teenage boy, my face heats and I blush pink.
“No, I’m not his sister. I’m Elizabeth, the best friend,” I reply, pushing a loose strand of my long pale hair behind my ear.
“My team’s about to head out. Our coach is treating us to pizza.”
Elijah looks like he's starting to get very nervous. I don’t blame him. He has become the sole focus of the three boys standing next to me.
“Um, so yeah. I was wondering if I can get your number or email or something and maybe text you or call you sometime?”
“Yeah, about that. The answer’s no,” Ryder tells him before I can even open my mouth to respond.
“Wait a minute,” I stutter, whacking Ryder’s arm with the back of my hand.
“Oh, well, ok. It’s nice to meet you.”
Elijah turns around looking dejected and walks back toward his teammates.
I turn to face Ryder. “What the heck was that for?”
Ryder forcibly but gently grabs my upper arms and turns me toward the exit doors as our families follow.
“Who’s ready for some burgers?” he asks to no one in particular.
I try to tug myself free of Ryder only to get snatched up by Jayson and pushed into Ryder’s mom’s minivan.
“That was really not nice, you know,” I say out loud.
My words fall on deaf ears.
“Not happening Liz,” Jayson says as he pulls on a hoodie that has our school’s mascot emblazoned across the front, and takes the seat next to me while Ryder and Julien take the back row.
“Ok, kids, buckle up,” Ryder’s mom, Faith, tells us from the front seat while Randy, Ryder’s dad, gets behind the wheel to drive us back to their house.
We all automatically do as she says but I’m not done with our conversation.
“He was really nice. He even came over to congratulate you, Jayson. Maybe I wanted him to call me.” I huff out and cross my arms over my chest to show my displeasure.
Apparently, I’m invisible now because the boys start talking about the swim meet and about the new dirt bike Ryder got. I take out my phone to text my friend, Maria. She’ll listen to me.
Me: Ugh! Boys!
