I snorted hard. “Sorry, Em. I’ll try my best.”
She grinned back before she shot up and began waving enthusiastically, adding to the chaos of the stadium. “Twins!”
I hadn’t met Emerson’s friends before; identical twins called LJ and Ainsley. As they got closer to us, it dawned on me I’d seen them around school but never together, so I hadn’t realized they were two different people.
Mallory and Emerson gave them both a hug before Emerson pulled me up. “Hey guys, this is Marnie, my brother’s girlfriend.”
I waved shyly. “Hey, nice to meet you.”
“Marn, this is LJ,” Emerson gestured to the twin in black, then to the one in a Jupiter sweater, just like most people here were wearing, “and this is Ainsley.”
LJ hugged me hello, while Ainsley just stared at me. I was beginning to think I had something on my face but then she smiled, weakly, and sat next to Emerson. The entire interaction was incredibly weird, but maybe she was one of those people who warmed up a little slower than others.
I could definitely relate to that.
“Glad you found us. We were going to have to give up these seats soon.”
LJ removed her jacket at sat down. “Sorry, it took us ages to get in. It’s a busy game tonight.”
I almost fell into her as I was shoved forward by a guy moving onto the bench in the row behind me, who in turn had been shoved by the group behind him. I bent to pick up his wallet which had fallen on the floor, along with a couple of credit cards and his – HOLY SHIT! LA DODGERS I.D. CARD!
This was HUGE.
“Thank you,” Dodgers guy said. “It’s busy tonight.”
I nodded, forcing myself to blink. “Oh, it’s always like this. It’s a great team.”
I spun back around as the stadium erupted in cheers; the first runner was thrown out at first base. I wanted to go back to The Dodgers guy, watch him while he watched, but instead I crossed everything I could in the hope Jupiter had a good game.
If he played well, there was no way they wouldn’t want him. Everyone would want him.
By the end of the third, Santa Monica High was up three to one. The baseball gods were shining on Jupiter because he’d been having an awesome game, the best I’d seen him play.
He’d caught four balls straight off the bat, and his aim had hit the bullseye every time, wherever he’d been throwing it.
S.M.H. was next at bat, and Jupiter was fifth in the batting order. The diet coke I’d been drinking had gone straight through me.
“I’m going to the restroom before Jupiter is up.”
I ran up the steps to find the nearest, praying there wasn’t a line. Thankfully I found one.
“Oh, look who it is.” A hard shoulder barged into me, pushing me forward, and I had to brace myself against the wall before I hit the hand dryer. “Little Miss Perfect.”
“What?” I looked in the mirror to find an ice-cold stare belonging to one of the many hordes of girls I’d seen following Jupiter around.
I was a nerd. I wasn’t oblivious to the comments which shot my way on occasion or a little light bullying. But for the most part I avoided it, which was due to me either being locked in the lab with my head down, or tutoring a jock. And I was smart enough to know the jocks bought me some protection.
But Jupiter had propelled me to the front of the crowds. Being seen with him, holding hands, being kissed; I knew we’dbeen at the top of school gossip since our first lunch together had created a touch of drama, I just hadn’t realized quite how much. Except now, the queen of it was standing right behind me. I wasn’t entirely certain, but I think she belonged in the Laurens group.
“You think you’re so special because you’re the one who finally snagged Jupiter Reeves,” she spat.
I spun slowly, making no sudden movements, like you would if any vicious animal was hissing over your shoulder. This would be easier face to face instead of viewing her in the mirror. “Do I?”
“I can tell you, you’re not. You’re just warming him up for the rest of us,” she snarled.
Ew. I wasn’t even sure what that meant, but it sounded gross. It also sounded like…
“Are you jealous? You’re jealous of me?” I laughed.
