She holds his stare, indecision flitting over her features. She meets my eye, and I can sense her silently searching for my permission.
I nod curtly. “Go. But this time, tell her I’m the greatest guy you ever met.”
“Prove it. She’s already in love with you, which is good—but I’m not sure that’s enough to win her back.”
Amy Hitman is in love with me.
There’s a soft, warm glow swelling inside me, powering me up with self-confidence… And a flicker of vulnerability I’m not sure how to handle.How could I have missed that?Easily, I realize—I couldn’t even deal with poring over myownfeelings, let alone hers. I’m so fucking lame.
While Esteban takes his turn in Amy’s room, it’s a struggle not to glue my ear to the door.
Charlotte places a hand on my sleeve. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this. We’ll give him five—then we’ll make sure he leaves.”
I give her a quick hug. “I’m gonna head home to work on my next plays.”
As I stroll back out to my car, I pause by the Scioto to take in the view. The thing I feared most is actually happening—here I am, obsessing over some girl, instead of focusing on my studies and basketball. Like I’ve always said: Having a girlfriend is a pain in the ass. But the truth is, I want her just as much as I want everything else. Amy Hitman. As insane as it might seem, she’s everything I know I need. She likes cars. She runs faster than I ever could. And she soothes all the crippling pressure I so often put myself under. What have I been doing, these past few months? What was I even thinking?
I fish for my phone and fire off a message—or I try, at least, but it sounds so shitty, written down. How do you win back the girl you lost?
I laugh to myself. I got my ass dumped the very second I realized I had a girlfriend to dump me.You couldn’t make this shit up!
I stare into the dying light.
Okay. Think, Lewis. Think.
I need to sharpen up my offense while she’s vulnerable. It’s like going head-to-head with a team you know nothing about. This is what I do; this is exactly how I roll. The only problem is figuring out how to score without a ball or net.
AS SOON AS I GEThome, I’m met with a flurry of concern.
“How’s Amy?” Lois blurts out, shoving Lane to the side.
“A broken leg and a concussion.”
“Oh my God!” Her hands fly to her mouth. “Did she wake up yet?”
“Yeah—trust me, she’s alive and kicking.”
I pour myself a smoothie and down it in one.
Lane squints at me. “You’re actually digging Lois’s smoothies today?”
I shrug. “You guys drink it by the gallon. Maybe I need to start listening to you.”
He gasps. “Okay, this is more serious than I thought. Living room.” He points. “Now.”
I let them shepherd me onto the couch and I settle in next to Adam and Donovan as Carrie wanders out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel.
“She’s doing fine,” Don tells her.
“Thank God.” She sits down across from me. “Did you speak to her?”
“I just got back. It’s a good thing she’s strapped to the bed, because otherwise I’m pretty sure I’d be sitting here with a broken bone or two.”
Carrie thinks for a moment. “She didn’t even go for you with a crutch, or something?”
“Don’t look so disappointed!”
“Hey, you deserve it, the way you spoke to her…”
