I giggle. “I’m surprised she didn’t set you up with Mom.”
Coach smirks. “Wasn’t for lack of trying.”
I smile and nod. “Sounds like Grams.”
Coach beckons for our wrists. “Hands up, kids. I’ll take those wristbands now.”
“Freedom,” Milo jokes as Coach uses an indented metal tool to remove his wristband.
Coach takes mine, and it feels oddly unsettling. It dawns on me Gandalf won’t cry again. He won’t even be called Gandalf. He’ll be put back on the shelf until a new pair of students are up for the challenge.
“In all seriousness,” Coach says, “are you two okay? I know it couldn’t have been easy.”
“I’m okay,” I reply. I nudge Milo and try to hide my bashful smile. “He was a big help.”
Milo lifts his hands, taking a step back. “I’d have been lost without Jamie. It was all her.”
“Team effort?” I offer.
His smile slides to the right. “Sure thing.”
Coach gives us an approving nod. “That’s great to hear. I’ll upload the data tomorrow and add your extra credit to your records as soon as I can. Jamie, I’m sure it’ll give you not only a grade average boost, but a confidence boost too. I hope you’re beginning to see your potential.”
I dig my hands into the pocket of my apron. “Yeah, I am. I’ve been taking my homework a lot more seriously. I mean, ask Kai. He’s so sick of me studying all the time that he’s started calling me a nerd.”
Coach’s head falls backward in laughter. “My goodness, I never thought I’d hear the day.” He wipes under his eye, steadying his breath. “Your mom would be so proud right now.”
Instinctively, I sniff hard. “Thanks,” I whisper tightly, careful to not let emotion shake my voice. “I know how much she wanted me to have advantages. I just never realized I was ignoring them before.”
“You’re sixteen,” Coach says tenderly. “Give yourself a break.”
“Thanks. Your usual?”
Coach nods. “Please.”
“Thanks again, Coach,” Milo says with a wave as he turns away from the table with me. “Phew,” he whispers. “We’re done.”
I bite my lip, looking up at him. “I think we did okay.”
He lifts his hand, angling for a high five. “We nailed it.”
“Goof.” I laugh and indulge him in a high five.
Milo goes back to the table, and Mr. Nelson meets me at the counter to pay the bill. He confirms Kai will pick me up at the end of my shift, and then rallies everyone to the vehicles.
Kai gives me a side hug, annoyingly asking me again if I think everything went okay between Tabitha and his family. When he finally believes my third, “yes,” he moves toward the front door. I smile, waving back at Milo as he leaves. The smile fades when Tabitha gets in on the waving.
Seeing her walk out the door did not come soon enough.
“All good, kiddo?” Coach asks as I near his table.
I plonk on a seat across from him. “I’m exhausted.”
“It’s good to see you put so much effort into something that’s not soccer.”
I wince. “How’d they do?”
“It was rough. I won’t sugarcoat it.”
