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“Did you tell Zoe Anders about what I want to do in the future?”
“What?”
“She posted something about me wanting to work for NASA.”
“Oh.” I have no idea why that would be upsetting, so I tread carefully. “Yeah, I spoke about you. What’s the matter?”
“Damnit, Seb,” she snaps. “Why did you have to do that?”
I stare, swiping at my still-sweaty forehead. “Because I’m proud of you? What, is it a secret?”
She just looks at me, teeth digging into her lip, that ever-present fire blazing in her eyes.
“Wait,” I say. “It actually is a secret?”
“My family doesn’t—didn’t know about it, Seb.” The frustration comes through in her voice like a crack of thunder. “I told them I was studying to become a teacher. Graduate school, NASA, all of it—they don’t know. Except now, thanks to you and Zoe, my sister knows fucking everything.”
“I’m not following. Why did you tell them that?”
“It’s complicated,” she says shortly. She wipes carefully at her eyes. “My family isn’t like yours. I couldn’t just...”
“Do the thing you’re good at? The thing you’re passionate about?”
“Don’t say it like it’s easy.”
“It sounds pretty easy to me.”
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry I missed some of your game. First Zoe wanted to talk to me, and then Giana called, and now it’s over.”
“It’s okay.”
“But the season is almost over.” Tears sparkle in her golden-brown eyes. “You deserve better.”
I pull her into a hug. “Mia. Come on. You were here, and I appreciate that. Thank you.”
She’s frozen for a moment, but then she wraps her arms around me in return. “I don’t want to think about it right now,” she whispers. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. It’s not like I told you about it.”
“And I’m sorry I talked to the reporter about you without asking.” I pull back far enough I can meet her gaze. I brush her hair away from her face and press a kiss to her forehead. I have a million questions, but if she doesn’t want to talk about it right now, I won’t push. “She wouldn’t stop asking me about my dad, and you were—you were what I wanted to talk about instead.”
She smiles slightly. “Really?”
“Oh, definitely. I’ll take any chance to brag about my genius girlfriend.”
Her smile widens. I take that as a win, looping my hand through hers. “You know, you still haven’t shown me your softball pitch.”
We start walking in the direction of the exit.
“Why do I feel like there’s a challenge coming?” she says.
I pull her closer, messing with her hair. She shrieks, trying to stomp on my feet.
“Not a challenge,” I say. “An adventure.”
* * *
“If it’s terrible,you’re not allowed to laugh,” Mia warns me. “I’m serious, Seb.”
I mimic zipping my lips shut. “I promise. Throw the ball.”
