Page 49 of The Perfect Game

“You miss her.”

“Huh?” I turned to look at him.

The corners of Dax’s lips twitched upward as he focused on the reporters. My buddy wasn’t one I’d felt comfortable talking to about my relationship with Serena. He’d always seemed more like a big goof that avoided responsibilities of any kind, especially when it came to girls. “You’ve seemed off since the two of you broke up. I never thought I’d say this to anyone, but I think you need to get her back, man.”

I chuckled softly as they started giving awards at the beginning of the line for our team. “When did you get so sentimental?”

He folded his arms, trying to puff his chest out to look more masculine. “Believe it or not, the Daxinator can change. Maybe I envy you for all you’ve gone through with this girl, how you got over your stutter and asked her out.”

“You’re saying if I get back together with Serena, you’ll get the guts to ask out a girl? Don’t you go out with girls all the time?”

He shrugged and opened his mouth to say something, when the presenter handed each of us a small medal. I stared at the engraving on the back. First Place. I’d need a lot more than a medal to win back Serena, but for the first time in almost two weeks, I grinned. I’d channel the need for perfection into a plan that would win her back.

Thirty-Three

Serena

“I go! I go!” I called out, running to get under the ball. I set the ball behind me, the perfect shot for Sasha to slam it down onto the court. We were playing our first home game of the season on the second day of school, and while the gym was never packed like a guy’s basketball game, it seemed like more people were there than usual.

We’d lost the first game of the night, but this second one we were playing together better.

We rotated around the court, getting into position as Courtney served the ball. It zipped over the net and landed in the middle of three players. I clapped and cheered, checking the scoreboard.

Game point.

Courtney served again, the ball moving faster than the girl on the other side was prepared for, and a pass came back on our side. Sasha passed it to me, and I was ready to send it back, when I spotted a hole out of the corner of my eye. Doing my best to fake it to my teammate, I tipped the ball over, landing it just behind the blockers.

“That was awesome!” Mary said as we came to the middle of the court. We were all tied up now, 1-1.

Our coach waved us over, and I wiped my forehead with the hem of my jersey. He went into some of the weaknesses of the other team and what he wanted us to do differently this game.

I turned around, walking back onto the court and glancing up at the crowd. My heart nearly stopped as I saw my parents in the stands. I frowned, wondering how they’d even known I had a game tonight. I’d avoided telling them so I wouldn’t be so disappointed when they didn’t show up.

My gaze moved down a few benches and caught on Ben, his smile widening when he saw me looking at him. Butterflies took off in my stomach, and my chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I’d missed him.

“You gonna play?” Mary asked, pointing to the court.

“Uh, yeah. I’m ready.” I broke my gaze away from Ben and focused on the ball coming my way. Something about seeing him there sent a rush of adrenaline through me. I reacted to the ball, moving around the court where I needed to be to set up my teammates, his presence there in the back of my mind the whole time.

The last game was a battle, but we were able to win on a smash from Sasha. After shaking hands with the opposing team and a quick wrap-up speech from my coach, I shoved my shoes and knee pads into my bag, trying to figure out what I’d say to the three people I’d been avoiding for the last two weeks. The fact that they’d all shown up tonight made it harder to be as mad at them as I wanted to be.

“Rena, that was awesome, doll.”

I turned around to see my parents approaching. My dad stepped forward and pulled me into a hug.

“Thanks, Dad.” I hated the fact that a rock formed in my throat.

He stepped back, and my mom replaced him. “You surprise me all the time, Rena,” she whispered. When she pulled back, I raised an eyebrow, curious as to the compliment.

I stared at her for a few seconds and finally asked, “Surprise you how?”

“For all you’ve been through this summer, for putting up with the lousy excuse for parents you have, and for being as excited about volleyball as I am about my clothes.” She dipped her head a moment, and when she spoke, her voice had more emotion than that day in the van when I’d modeled for her. “I’m sorry for not putting you first. And I learned from Ben that you’ve been looking for a job.”

I glanced behind them to where Ben was standing a ways back, surprised they’d had time to talk about anything with Ben since he seemed uneasy around many people.

“It’s not in the medical industry, but I’m looking for an assistant. After all the feedback you gave me after the fashion show, I want you to help me with this. What do you think?”

It took a moment to realize my mouth was hanging open. “Um, are you sure? Because I won’t be promoting the old-lady look.”

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