Travis holds up his hand, pointing to the camera. “Look right here, everyone. Big smiles. On the count of three...”
“The sun is in my eyes,” Maddie whines.
“One...”
Shreeya glances at me. “Is he clickingonthree, orafterthree?”
“Two...”
“After three,” Quinn whispers.
“Three.”
“I definitely blinked,” Hannah says.
“Don’t worry.” Travis looks down at his camera. “I’ll take a bunch, and make sure everyone’s eyes are open.”
I lean in toward Ainsley again. “I didn’t think you liked blonds. This is surprising.”
“I like anyone as long as they don’t look like you.”
“Not what you said in high school.”
She stomps on my foot. Hard.
I swallow a groan while the camera clicks three times in a row.
“Oh, Landon. What happened back there, buddy?” Travis asks. “Let’s try that again.”
“Yeah, buddy.” Ainsley smirks. “Smile this time.”
Raymond leans over. “Would you both cut your shit so we can stop smiling? I’m sweating like a whor?—”
Quinn clamps her hand over his mouth. “Can we all just hush?”
“Okay, guys, last one,” Travis says. “Say,cheese.”
After the group photos are done, the two teams break apart. Travis’ partner handles JV while Travis stays with Ainsley on varsity.
“I’d like to get a few shots of the coaching staff.” Travis leads the four of us to the center of the field. “The four of you together first. Then just the head coaches, and then we’ll separate JV and varsity coaches.”
I move beside Ainsley again, and she blinks up at me. “You’re limping. Everything okay with your foot?”
My eyes narrow as I gaze down at her. “Do you hear that sound? It’s like an annoying little gnat buzzing around my ears.”
“More like annoying children who won’t stop bickering,” Raymond mutters.
The four of us stand together, forcing smiles as best as we can.
Travis steps closer to Ainsley. “Tilt your chin a little, like this.” He reaches out and practically caresses her face to adjust it.
Ainsley’s cheeks tinge a light pink color. “Thanks, Trav.”
“Yeah, thanks,Trav,” I mimic as he walks back to his spot. “Pretty sure she could’ve moved her own head.”
Ainsley’s mouth drops open as her head whips to look up at me. “Wait, are you...are you jealous? Is that what’s happening right now?”
My chin jerks back. “Jealous? Why would I be jealous?”
