I roll my eyes. “Yay. More studying.”
“Just remember, I’m suffering through this, so you can get through this afternoon.”
“I’ll have countless days of studying ahead for multiple classes. All you have to do is perfect three skills for one class. It’ll take five minutes during your phys-ed class to demonstrate, and then you’re done.”
“But it’ll be catastrophic if I’m in front of the whole class and all I can accomplish is tripping and landing on my butt.”
I giggle. “It’d be entertaining, though.”
“Ha ha. Now, help me out before the bell rings.”
I steal the ball, dribble in a tight circle, and then pass it to Milo. My fingers stay crossed as he positions himself to stop the ball. I can’t help beaming with pride when he effortlessly connects with the ball, stopping it dead and skidding to a stop.
He grins at me, and something weird happens inside my chest. Like a flutter in my heart.
Nine
Wecalleditaday after Milo finally stopped behind the ball without falling over or accidentally nudging it forward. It was a relief to have it over and done with. Unfortunately, this means training him will take forever. If the time this one skill took is any indication, we will need to dedicate entire days to kicking, passing, and dribbling.
The rest of the day played out much like yesterday. My teachers kept pestering me about my study habits and the importance of concentrating on my work. Maybe if they’d cared during the prior months of school, I wouldn’t be in this mess. Now, I’m overloaded.
And if it wasn’t annoying teachers I had to deal with, it was my lovesick best friend. Kai was constantly staring at Tabitha. Either from the lunch table, the school halls, or from his desk in class. His fingers would hover over his phone, as if he were agonizing over the perfect words to text her.
Give me a break, man.
At least it’s the end of school now. Who knew a tutoring session would feel like a relief?
“I don’t see why Mom and Dad would have a problem with you staying,” Kai says as we walk into his home after he drives us from school. “But a week is a lot more than just a weekend, so we might have to put the pressure on.”
“Pressuring Mom and Dad isn’t how you get your way,” Milo grumbles behind us.
Kai groans as we traipse toward the dining room. “Have you been living under a rock, Milo? It never fails.”
“Only because you keep arguing until they give up,” Milo bites back.
When we enter the dining room, Kai chucks his school bag in the corner and lifts his arms out wide. “Case closed.”
Milo rolls his eyes, rounding the table. He pulls out a chair, sets his bag on top, and sits on the adjacent chair.
I dump my bag and immediately pull off my blazer and necktie. How is this not the first thing Milo does? Is he so lame that he actually enjoys wearing this stupid school uniform? I mean, he does fill it out well. Wait, what was that? I guess I mean, because he’s so lanky. Yep, that has to be it.
Kai snaps his fingers. “You with us, James?”
I shake out of my thoughts. “Huh? Yeah. Just thinking.”
Kai pats my shoulder. “All you gotta do is show those sad puppy eyes.”
I pull out a chair opposite Milo. “It’s easy because I am the poor girl, living on the outskirts of town, who can’t afford her education.”
“That’s the spirit,” Kai says, sitting beside me.
Milo lifts a pen, pointing it at Kai. “What are you doing?”
He shrugs. “What?”
“I’m tutoring Jamie. You shouldn’t stick around.”
“I’m waiting for Mom to get home. Relax.”
