Page 76 of Rival Summer

TWENTY-FIVE

chandler

I clumsily scoopedcoffee grounds into the coffee maker. Sunlight was just beginning to sneak through the blinds. My eyelids were heavy, but Caroline's early morning emergency text shattered my slow morning plans.

"Willow," I called out, tapping on her door with my knuckles. "Caroline sent a text. She wants us there early today."

I heard a muffled grunt before the door cracked open. Willow emerged, backlit by the soft glow of her room. Her curly hair was wild, almost like she’d had a restless night.

"What kind of psycho wants us to be there so early?" she grumbled, rubbing at her eyes.

Shrugging, I poured the coffee into two mugs. "I'm the last person who understands the ways of Caroline," I admitted, handing her a cup as if it were a peace offering for the awakening.

Willow took a sip, her face scrunching up as the hot coffee kick-started her senses. We exchanged a look that said neither of us were excited for Caroline’s demands.

"Fine," Willow huffed, setting down her coffee mug with a clink. "I'm taking a shower. Give me twenty minutes." And with that, she vanished back into her room.

The drive to the clubhouse was a quiet one, filled with yawns and the occasional sip of lukewarm coffee. Inside the clubhouse, everyone on the committee looked just about as excited as we were. Willow and I found refuge in seats in the back.

"Hey," Willow leaned in, giving me a serious look, "have you talked to Boston in a while?"

I shook my head, stirring the remnants of my coffee aimlessly. "No, I haven't seen him lately. Seems like he’s been busy in the batting cages or at practice." My words trailed off as I thought about the past week. "He was also short with me when I asked him why he didn’t play this week. I’m not sure if something is going on." I glanced at my phone, as if it might reveal some hidden message from him. "He texted me 'good morning' and 'good night,' every day but that's pretty much it."

Willow frowned slightly, twirling a strand of her blonde hair around her finger. "I wonder what’s up. My dad has been off this week too."

"I’m not sure," I added, though a knot tightened in my stomach. Was it just the pressure of the season, or was it something else?

The murmurs in the room silenced as Caroline entered, her presence commanding attention without a word. She cleared her throat, and every pair of eyes locked onto her.

"If I'm not interrupting anything," Caroline lifted her chin, "I'd like to get started."

Caroline continued, her gaze sweeping across us. "The championship game is in three weeks, and we need to be ready for what comes next." She paused for effect, her eyes scanning the room. "Should our team win the championship, we will host an overnight lock-in with the players to decorate the parade float. And then," she drew out the word for emphasis, "The Bayside Ball is the week after."

A collective intake of breath filled the room, the weight of responsibility settled over us like a heavy cloak.

"Which means," Caroline went on, "we have a lot to do to make the end of this season better than it's ever been." She lifted a stack of binders from the table beside her, each one thick and bursting at the seams. "I've compiled a binder for each of you, filled with tasks. I expect them all to be completed."

She began passing out the binders, and when one landed with a thud in front of me, I couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Beside me, Willow did the same, and we exchanged a look.

"Any questions before we dive in?" Caroline asked, her tone suggesting she hoped there wouldn't be any. We stayed quiet, each flipping open our binders to a dizzying array of lists.

"Let's get started, then," Caroline announced.

I flipped through my binder and a page with a detailed timeline for the Bayside Ball caught my eye. My thoughts drifted. I wondered if Boston would ask me this year. It felt like ages ago when I was head over heels for Reese, and it was hard to believe it had been around the same time last year. Now, here I was, hoping to be asked by the boy who used to just be my brother's best friend.

I stepped out of the room and was met with players rushing through the hallways towards practice. Even through the chaos of ball hats and gym bags, I caught sight of Boston.

"Willow," I whispered, my heart doing an anxious little dance. "I'll meet you at the car."

"Okay, see ya in a sec," she nodded and continued walking, giving me a small, encouraging smile.

"Hey, you," Boston's voice reached me first. But the usual warmth that lit up his eyes when he saw me wasn't there today.

"Hey," I said, squeezing the binder tighter to my chest. "Haven't seen you since last week."

"I've been around," he replied shortly, and I found myself searching his face for something more, some hint of what was on his mind.

"Right." A pause stretched, and I decided to take the plunge. "We're starting to plan the Bayside Ball," I said, hoping it would spark something, a sign that he might ask me, anything.

---