“You did it, baby,” he whispers. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
He pulls back and adjusts the brim of his baseball cap. “You getting pizza with the team?”
I nod. “You should come.”
“Nah, you go have your fun.” He slips my gym bag off my shoulder and takes my stick. “I’ll meet you back home for ice cream later.”
I beam. “Deal.”
My father is my biggest supporter. It’s been just the two of us since Mom died when I was eight, and he’s my best friend.
I hug him one last time, and then look for Ivori’s mom’s car.
“Ainsley.”
I spin around as Mrs. Nadine jogs after me. “What’s up, Coach?”
“I want to run something by you.” She grimaces. “I know you’re on a high right now, but it’s just food for thought.”
I stuff my hands into my letterman’s jacket, curiosity piquing my interest. “Okay...”
“What would you say if I could get you on the boys’ team next season?”
My eyes narrow as my stomach dips. “What? How?”
“We’ve all seen you play, Ainsley. You’re running circles around these girls.” She lowers her voice, glancing around the parking lot. “It’s almost not fair to have you on the same field.”
I laugh, shifting from one foot to the other. “Uh, I don’t know. Aren’t there rules about this sort of thing?”
She arches a brow. “And you’re going to let that stop you?”
I hike a shoulder, the wheels turning inside my head at warp speed. “I’d be abandoning my team.”
“Or inspiring them.” She grips my shoulders. “Ainsley, I think you can make history here.”
I spent all year making noise about the unfair advantages the boys’ teams at this school receive over the girls. I’m no stranger to calling out the societal inequities.
But playing with the boys? Evan can toss me over his shoulder like a rag doll. Would I really be able to hang with them on the field?
“I’d miss playing with the girls,” I say. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”
“Think about it. We have time. I just wanted to plant the seed now.”
I smirk. “Consider the seed planted.”
Nadine grins.
“Champions coming through.Move. The champs are here.”
I shake my head as Ivori pushes through the crowded restaurant. “You’re going to be insufferable tonight, aren’t you?”
She winks. “And for the foreseeable future.”
I laugh as I spot the tables pushed together at the back of the restaurant. “Look, there’s Evan.”
Ivori grabs my wrist, and drags me the rest of the way.
