Page 103 of Sporty Girls Don't Fall For Loners

“But practically,” Rylee says. “How was it?”

Even though I try to fight it, a huge smile breaks out on my lips.

“She’s smiling!” Mia exclaims. “Ooh, did something happen? Something totally happened.”

“No, nothing happened,” I say. “Just…” I can’t help but smile again. “I had a lot of fun with Kade.”

“Yay!” Rylee says.

“He showed me his fun side,” I tell them. “I mean, the kiss scene was a little awkward, but the rest of the movie was pretty good. Although, there was an incident with the popcorn…”

Both of them nearly fly off their beds. “What incident with popcorn?” Mia demands while Rylee says, “Popcorn? More details. Now!”

I tell them about our hands colliding in the tub and how he pulled his away before linking his fingers through mine.

“That’s so sweet!” Rylee says.

“And he also gave me his jacket when we walked home from the theater,” I tell them. “It was chilly outside.”

“He gave you his jacket?” Mia asks.

“Yeah. He wrapped it around my shoulders. It smelled really good.”

Mia falls flat on her bed. “I just died and went to heaven.”

Rylee narrows her eyes at me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile about a boy. Actually, you’ve never spoken about a boy before. And look at you! You’re all giddy.”

“I am not.”

“You’re blushing!”

“Am not.” I press my hands to my cheeks and realize they’re warm.

Mia sits up. “Admit it, Zoey. You like Kade.”

“Of course I like him. Like I said, I totally misjudged him.”

“You know what I mean. You like him. Like, like him.”

I press my hands to my cheeks again. “I…don’t. I…” A sigh escapes my lips. “Maybe?”

Mia bounds off her bed and does a small dance. “Zoey likes Kade! Zoey likes Kade!”

“Mia, do you want to broadcast it to everyone in the house?”

She continues to dance and cheer, though she lowers her voice.

“Zoey, this is like the best news in the world,” Rylee says, an excited glimmer in her eyes. “The girl who was so against romance is in love with the bad boy.”

My eyes snap wide open. “Love? Who said anything about love?”

“My bad. You’re not in love with him…yet.”

“Does he feel the same?” Mia hops onto my bed, bouncing in her spot. “Is he in love with you, too?”

I frown. “Can we not use the L word?”

“Of course he is!” Rylee says. “How could anyone not love our awesome Zoey?”

---