Page 51 of Adorkable

“That Troll is ours,” Clayton shot back.

“Not this year,” Leo said smugly. “Not last year either.”

“That was a fluke,” Ollie retorted. “Nothing but a fluke.”

“Yeah,” I said, “the sun got in my eyes.”

“Sorry Sal—” Becks shook his head. “—but girlfriend or not, your team’s going down. Don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll go easy on you.”

It was the “sweetheart” that did it.

Turning back around, baring my teeth, I said, “He’ll never see it coming. Let’s do this.”

And do it we did. The whole thing went off without a hitch. On the third play, I saw my opening and took it. Ollie had just thrown a perfect spiral, delivering the ball into my arms without the slightest wobble. I’d cradled it to my chest like a newborn babe and made a mad dash for the goal line, but Becks was there to intercept me less than five yards away. He tagged me with two hands to my side, a gentle pat, the lightest of touches, but I made the most of it, throwing my body to the side, taking a nosedive into the grass, groaning pitifully as I fell.

Becks was at my side in an instant, kneeling, checking me for injuries. “Sal?” he said, face stricken. I buried my head further into my shoulder, trying not to laugh. “Sal, are you hurt? I didn’t mean to...I mean, I barely...Sal, say something, you’re scaring me here.”

At that, I looked up, eyes bright. “Aw, don’t be scared Baldwin, I’m alright.” Looking past him, I said, “But you better watch your back. Thad doesn’t look happy.”

“Huh?” was all Becks got out, and then he was wrenched away.

Thad was in a state. “What the heck’s the matter with you, Becks? She’s a girl for God’s sake.” I groaned again for good measure, letting him pull me to my feet. Gently, Thad said, “Sally, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“No, I’m fine,” I said, shooting Becks a grin when no one was looking. “I guess Becks just doesn’t know his own strength.”

Becks’s mouth dropped open.

Thad glared at him and Leo said, “Not cool man. Not cool.”

After that the game was a cakewalk. Our strategy worked better than expected, getting not only Thad on our side but Leo as well. With their half-hearted showing, Becks was basically playing by himself. By game’s end, Clayton and Ollie were having a victory toast, taunting the others for their abysmal performance, and I was in possession of the Golden Troll. Becks strolled up as I pretended to give it a polish.

“That was some dirty trick,” he remarked. “Faking like that, making us think you were seriously injured, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“You’re just mad you didn’t think of it first,” I said, hugging the Troll to my chest. “Besides, it was Ollie’s idea, not mine.”

His eyes narrowed. “You really had me for a minute there.”

“Becks, you barely touched me.”

“Yeah, but it scared me just the same.”

I studied his face, saw he was serious. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Nope.”

“No, what?”

“Sorry’s not going to cut it, Sal.” Becks stood hands on hips, shaking his head. “I nearly died from the guilt. My nerves are still shot. It’s gonna take something more, something valuable, something...golden.”

“No way,” I said, walking backward.

“You cheated,” he said, matching me step for step.

“We won fair and square.”

“I think you’d agree that’s a stretch.”

I did but stayed silent.

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