“I know.”
“So have you seen Mirabelle around the stadium yet?” I ask, changing the subject to the eldest Walker as I tie off my braid. Mirabelle is one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. She helped me with some of my forms this summer to get me started in the right direction for tryouts, and honestly, I might even be a little in love with her too.
She’s as hot-headed as Bailey, great at everything she does,andshe’s beautiful. It’s unfair how good-looking all of the Walkers are. It’d be nice if they left something for the rest of us.
It’s painfully obvious to everyone except Henry that she’s in love with him, so I’m curious to see how their close proximity might change their friendship. I’ve never asked, but I’ve always wondered if there’s a chance Henry might return her feelings.
“Yeah, I saw her today,” he says, giving me nothing to work with.God, it must be nice to be a man. Everything seems so simple in their minds.
“She’s so cool,” I say, picturing what it might be like if they ever got together. “I wish she was my sister.”
Please give me a sign you’re not totally oblivious to the pretty girl in love with you.
“Excuse you, I think I’m a pretty awesome brother.”
At this point, it might take a neon sign to get the information through his thick skull.
I think Mom is secretly hoping for the same thing after the look she gave me a couple weeks ago. Dad had made a comment about how Henry’s going to have to step up his big-brother act now that she’ll be at the stadium every day. Just because he’s always seen Mira and Henry as siblings doesn’t make it true.
“You are, but she’s an Olympian. Maybe you should hang out with her instead of your friends. She never would’ve let you get pictured with those girls.”
“You saw that?” he asks, sounding embarrassed, but he should have expected it.
“Everyone has seen it. You’re earning quite the reputation, but I sure hope you’re wrapping it up. I’m not ready to be an aunt yet.”Unless it’s a baby with Mirabelle. I could be on board with that.
Henry chokes. “It’s not what it looked like. I was only there to babysit my friends. The only thing I had to drink that night was water.”
“Wow, that’s definitely not what it looked like. You might want to be more careful.” I can’t help laughing because I’d think he’d know better than to assume someone wouldn’t take a picture and spin it to look a certain way—especially now that he’s QB1. My phone buzzes with an incoming call from Hunter. “Oh shit, Hunter is calling me. Can I call you back tomorrow?”
I vaguely hear Henry start to say what sounds like,That’s fine, and I hang up on him to answer Hunter’s call.
“Hey, Hunt.”
“Congratulations on making the cheer squad,” Hunter says, and I’m hit with a wave of happiness all over again.
“Thanks, I’m really excited.”
“B and I are heading out on dawn patrol before schooltomorrow. We can celebrate by letting you catch all the best waves,” Hunter offers, and as nice as it sounds, both of them are too competitive to ever let someone else justhaveall the best waves.
“You could’ve sent that in a text,” I remind him, fiddling with my necklaces.
“Maybe I wanted to be one of the first to tell you congratulations. I’m proud of you for trying something new.”
“You’re a good friend. I’ll be there,” I say, unable to help the big smile on my face as I think of starting my day off in the perfect way.
Hunter scoffs. “Thought I was your best friend, not just a good friend.”
“You are my best friend.”
Maybe everything will work out just fine this year. It doesn’t feel like too much to ask for.
1 Shut up!
CHAPTER TWO
Bailey
NOW
