“Because…” I loop the pink plastic cord around my index finger. “Why do you even care?”
His golden eyes darken. “You’ve been sitting with your back to me in class all week.”
I didn’t think he’d noticed.
He sticks his hand out.
I frown at it.
“I’m Tennessee Dylan, but I go by Ten. What’s your name?”
I look down at his suspended hand, then look around in case this is a prank one of his track buddies is filming. No one’s holding up any phones. No one’s even around. How long have I been out here?
I check my watch. When I see the time, I spring up. Ten winces, mistaking my rush to head back inside for a dismissal. He stands, rubs his palms against his gym shorts, then starts down the bleachers.
“Hey, new kid,” I call out.
He turns around.
“My name’s Angela Conrad, but everyone calls me Angie.”
His lips twitch.
I catch up to him. “I plan on being a legendary musician. What about you, Ten? What do you dream of being when you grow up?” I’m standing on the step above him, yet he’s still taller than I am.
His smile turns brash. “What do you think I dream of being when I grow up?”
I tilt my head to the side. “I’m thinking it’s a toss-up between talk show host and astronaut. Am I close?”
He laughs, a deep laugh that slaloms past the raindrops and sneaks into my chest.
I draw a look of mock surprise over my face. “What? Am I not even close?”
“Not even.”
I skip off the step and go down a couple more. Ten follows me. I hop off the bleachers onto the squishy, sodden grass and wait for him.
“So whatdoyou want to do, Ten?”
“I don’t actually know.”
“You don’t?”
He shakes his head. “No clue.”
“How can you not have a clue? Don’t you have a passion?”
“Not really.”
“How can you live without passion?”
“Most people don’t have passions; most people enjoy certain things more than others, but that’s it.”
“What do you enjoy, then?” I ask as we head toward the doors that lead to the locker rooms.
“I like driving around. Running clears my mind. And I love to cook.”
I stop walking so suddenly that he stops too. “So basically, you’re a stay-at-home mom locked inside the body of a teenage boy?”
