Hardy shakes his head as he walks up. “Can’t take you anywhere.” He sits down in the seat next to Lily. Even though he has his own tray piled high with food, Hardy steals one of Lily’s tater tots and winks at her as he pops it in his mouth.
“Hey!” Lily smacks him. “That’s my lunch.”
“Really?” He tears the plastic wrap off his plastic fork and loads a bite of spaghetti on it. “I assumed you were done since Ella was throwing some at you when I walked up.”
“It was one tater tot,” I correct. “And only because Lily was making fun of me.”
“For what?” he asks around a huge bite.
I look at the table. “For running.”
Hardy chokes on his food. He sets his fork down and looks at me with wide eyes. “You’re running?”
“On the cross country team,” Lily adds with mischievous glee.
“Seriously?” Hardy asks.
“Don’t sound so shocked.” I lean backin my plastic chair. “Besides, it’s not like I’m going to win any awards or anything.”
“That’s going to be a first for you, isn’t it?” Hardy asks. He’s resumed eating and takes another bite before adding, “Are you going to be okay?”
I roll my eyes. “You act like I’ve never not been the best at something before. I know what it’s like to fail.”
Lily and Hardy stare at me with blank expressions.
“I do. I lost to Connor for class president.” That one is the most recent and still feels raw. I pause as I think of other times when I didn't succeed in what I attempted. “And…spelling bee in fifth grade.” I lost to Connor in that, too.
Lily pushed her lips into a perfectly round circle. “Oh, no. Not the fifth grade spelling bee.”
I reach over and throw another tater tot at her.
Hardy makes an annoyed sound. “At least I ate the food I stole off your tray.”
Lily reaches out and touches his arm. “You poor thing.”
“I know.” Before she can pull her hand away, he lifts that same arm and flexes. “I’m a growing boy. I need the calories.”
A slight blush hits her cheeks. She drops her hand and slides the food in his direction.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not that hungry.” She shrugs. “I was only saving them because I thought Ella might want them.” She gives me a playful smile. “But since she insists on being wasteful.”
“Her loss.” Hardy smirks at me before eating a couple. “So when do you start cross country?”
“Today.”
“Okay, so here are my words of advice.” He wipes his fingers on the napkin in front of him, drawing this out, enjoying for once that he knows more about a subject than me. After he clears his throat twice and Lily punches his shoulder, he finally blesses me with his advice. “Buy some Advil now. You’re going to need it.”
The tots in my stomach threaten to make a reappearance as I drop my head onto the table. What did I get myself into?
6
MOST LIKELY TO STASH A BODY IN THE WOODS
I’ve never consideredorange to be a particularly menacing color, but as Ella walks toward the football field wearing orange athletic shorts and a shirt with Citrus Prep screen-printed across the front in that same horrific shade, I’m convinced that it’s the color of pure evil.
“What’s she doing here?” Jonathan asks from beside me as she gets closer.
