Milo dawdles back to us, a frown drooping on his face.
“Your class is today?” Coach asks Milo.
He nods. “Next period.”
“We haven’t been goofing around,” I tell Coach. “He’s done so much better than that. He was just nervous.” I look at Milo and sigh. “What happened?”
He lifts his hands and shrugs.
“Will you see me after school?” Coach asks him.
Milo nods.
“Good,” Coach says. “Now, go run five laps of the field.”
Milo’s eyes pop behind his frames, and his Adam’s apple bobs.
“I’ll go with him,” I offer in an attempt to sweet talk Coach.
He smirks at me. “It’s not a punishment for you. I want you to get your butt to study hall and start on your homework.”
I grimace. “What? But I…”
“Now, West. Or would you prefer detention?”
I lift my hands and back away. “Okay, okay. I’m going.”
I glance at Milo, and he shrugs with a tentative smile.
“Nelson, did I stammer? Why aren’t you running?” Coach barks, interrupting our moment.
Milo jolts and turns around. “Yes, Coach.”
As Milo starts on his first lap, I trudge my way back into the school building and my awaiting geography homework.
I can’t help thinking about Milo for the rest of the day. Kai is in the same phys-ed class, but bringing up his brother will seem totally weird, so I don’t ask. It’s already a given that Kai was the star of the class, so there’s no good segue.
My last class for the day is history. I try to keep my eyes forward, but I can’t help glancing in Milo’s direction. He doesn’t notice me the first two times, but on the third look, we lock eyes.
I squeak a gasp and face front.
What the heck was that noise? Oh geez, now my face is heating up.
“Jamie,” our teacher calls out.
Crap. Will he ask why I’m all embarrassed right now?
“Can you tell me the significance of 1791 to American history?” he asks in a tone that presumes I wasn’t listening.
Well, I wasn’t listening. But I’ve memorized so many useless dates this week, an answer leaves my lips like muscle memory. “That’s the year the first ten amendments were added to the Constitution.”
His brow lifts, and he smiles. “Correct. And what are they called?”
“You mean, The Bill of Rights?”
“Perfect,” he responds. He then picks out other students to name the amendments.
I slouch in my chair, happy to have the spotlight off me. Without thinking about it, I roll my head in Milo’s direction. Our eyes lock and smile lines crinkle inside his frames. My heart warms with a flutter. I smile back.
