Hannah’s eyes get big. “Wow. That’s far.” But then she gets a sly smile on her face. “For a high schooler.”
I tip my head back, laughing. “Leave it to my girl to keep me honest.”
She smiles and shrugs. We hear several gasps from students and cheerleaders eavesdropping on our conversation. Hannah glances up at me to see my reaction, and I keep smiling. She ducks her head, letting out a little laugh, but other than that, neither of us reacts. “That’s what you get for making me readFootball for Dummies.”
“Oh, it’s my fault?” I say, but I’m smiling. I love that she’s so knowledgeable about football now.
Hannah just shrugs. She puts her hand on my knee, brushing her fingers against mine, and I interlace our hands. “I’m really proud of you. I know how hard you work to be the player you are.”
“Thank you,” I say, my voice low and rough with emotion. Jack, Ty, and I sit through the entire volleyball tournament. I’m not sure how Tyler doesn’t have a stomachache. He ate at least four, maybe five, hotdogs. After the last game, I walk Hannah out to her car. I help her put her bag in the backseat, and then press her against the driver’s side door with a searing kiss. “I’ve wanted to do that all night,” I say when I break away.
“I’ve wanted you to do that all night.” Hannah breathes, pressing her lips to my jaw and trailing kisses down my neck. She wraps her arms around me, laying her head against my shoulder. “I don’t want to go home. I just want to stay with you like this.”
“Me too, baby, me too.”
“I can come over tomorrow after practice.” Hannah looks up at me, resting her chin against my chest.
I close my eyes and take a breath. “Tomorrow is the annual football booster dinner.”
Hannah groans, burying her head in my chest. I rub a hand up and down her back. “I had the same reaction when Coach Anderson reminded us tonight after practice. It’s mandatory for all the football players to attend.”
“My mom mentioned a dinner this week, but I didn’t know it was for the boosters.”
“I know you probably don’t have to attend it, but would you come? For me.”
Hannah looks at me, leaning in and brushing her lips against mine. “Of courseI will.”
When we break apart, we’re both panting. “Thursday. Promise me we will talk on Thursday.”
“I promise,” Hannah breathes over my lips.
15. World on Fire
The booster dinner Wednesday night is so boring. The football players help serve dinner and clean up, so all Ford and I get are longing glances from across the room. My parents let me take the little boys home when dinner is over. We stop at McDonald’s on the way. The dinner was for a good cause, but it wasn’t good.
It’s almost ten o’clock before I get a text from Ford telling me he’s finally on his way home. We both have lots of homework, so we don’t chat for long. I feel like we’re never going to be able to talk about our relationship. Part of me wants to bag it and just tell Ford we’re official. It almost feels like a moot point, anyhow. But we need to set some ground rules so that what happened over the summer doesn’t ever happen again. It’s not all Ford’s fault. There were plenty of times I should’ve been more vocal, but I was too afraid it would cause an argument or make Ford upset. Now I know it would have been okay if we were open about our feelings. My phone rings just after ten, and the caller ID says it’s Micah.
“Hey, Micah,” I answer.
“Hannah, hi. I hope I’m not calling too late?” he asks.
“No, not at all. What’s up?”
“Do you know who Sofia Lancaster is?”
“Yes, she’s an amazing dancer who won the second season of the reality dance show Come Dance With Me. She’s one of the greatest lyrical dancers of her generation. She lives in the area and does private dance lessons, but she’s impossible to get a lesson with. Or so I’ve heard. I’ve never tried.”
“I’m glad you know who she is. That makes this easier. She’s actually a friend. We had dinner last week a couple of days ago, and I mentioned your name and how you were getting back into dancing after a year's hiatus. She asked if I had any video of you, and I had some from our lesson last week, so I showed her. She just called me and told me she had a student cancel last minute, and she’s willing to fit you in for a lesson.”
I jump off my bed. “Oh my gosh, Micah, I think I’m going to cry.”
“She can meet with you tomorrow at the Havenwood fitness club at 4:30. They have a dance studio there that she uses for private lessons. She told me to tell you to bring your swimsuit. She wants to show you some tricks for working on your flexibility.”
“I’ll be there. Micah, I don’t even know how to begin to thank you. You don’t need to thank me. She was impressed with your dancing and saw the same potential I do. She wouldn’t have called otherwise.”
“Still, thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you at our usual time on Thursday.”
