The smirk washes off my face. “Oh. I didn’t know.”
He taps the side of his glasses. “Why do you think I need glasses when my identical twin doesn’t? Or the fact I’m two inches shorter?”
I throw a palm up. “It’s just a couple of inches.”
“I took a lot longer to walk and talk than him, too. I can’t help how off-balance I am sometimes, but my brain works fine. That’s why I enjoy studying. I’m always good at it, plus, I’m way better than Kai.”
“If Kai knows all this, he should lay off,” I say. “There’s kidding around, and there’s being mean about something that’s not your fault.”
Milo folds his arms and his jaw strains like he’s wondering if he should say something. “Like you and those girls earlier?”
I shrug it off. “That’s nothing. They’re always like that.”
Milo’s eyes narrow as he tries to work it out. “Is it just because you’re from Logan’s Point? That’s no big deal. Everyone goes to Logan’s Point to hike, or jump off cliffs into the lake, or whatever else adventurous people do.”
I frown. “It’s fine to go to Logan’s Point for fun, but it’s not okay to be born there. My mom moved us here when I was a baby, but it doesn’t matter. I guess because she still worked in Logan’s Point, they consider my ties to be stronger. But she did that because she got better money doing that stuff than when she worked at the cafe.”
“I wasn’t sure if you knew about the picture that was going around.”
I wince. “You’ve seen it?”
“It was a really bad photo, but I glimpsed it when some guys were passing it around in class.” Sadness creeps over Milo’s face. “She’s been gone a long time. You’d think they’d lay off.”
His sadness leaches into my body. “That’s not what bullies do. I’m sorry if I’ve laughed at you or been mean about your tripping. I thought you were just goofy. I didn’t know you couldn’t help it.”
A cute smile brightens Milo’s face. “Thank you, but you don’t need to apologize. I don’t think you’re mean to me. I think you can be snappy and a bit harsh, but I don’t take it personally. I know you just argue or act out to get your own way.”
“I could say I’ll back off, but when it comes to studying, I’m gonna resist harder than any protester has before.”
He laughs. “I’d expect nothing less from Jamie West.”
The fact that almost rhymes and comes out like a sing-song catchphrase is off-putting. My expression dulls and I cross my arms. “Are you gonna try the drill again, or are we done for the day?”
Milo takes a step back with a slight wobble to his knees. “I haven’t got it yet, so I guess I should practice a few times. You don’t have to stay. I’ll figure it out.”
I view the school building over my shoulder and shrug. “The alternative is going back in there. I’d prefer to stay out here and kick the ball around.”
Milo twists his lips and eyes the ball with doubt. “We haven’t even gotten to how to kick a ball.”
I sigh. “I’ll show you, but first keep going with how to stop. I’ll just watch and pull you up if your positioning is wrong. Cool?”
He nods, angling himself behind the ball. “Cool.”
I crouch to the ground, watching Milo perfect his skill. He’s moving at a snail’s pace, but at least he’s not stumbling. I want to tell him to move faster, but perhaps getting the muscle memory right is more important at the minute.
“Did Maddy decide anything on Hawaii?” Milo asks when I stand up to view him from another angle.
My chest puffs out as I sigh, and then I force a smile. “I told her to go.”
Milo almost loses balance because of the surprising news. “Whoa. Really?”
“I know, it’s shocking to me too,” I reply. “But she deserves it. She’s worked so hard since she was a kid with no breaks. She deserves to be whisked off her feet.”
“That’s so cool of you,” Milo says. “And, you know, my parents will be happy to take you in.”
I cross my fingers. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Milo swats a hand. “You’re over all the time, anyway. We can ask Mom when you come over to study this afternoon.”
