Page 8 of The Perfect Game

I raised my hand. “You’re good. There are definitely perks to being the only child. Like I can pretty much do whatever I want whenever I want. But there are times when I wish I had someone else to at least talk to about my dysfunctional family.”

Ben focused on opening the gummies, avoiding my gaze as he asked, “Are your parents divorced?”

I blinked a few times, reviewing my words to see if I’d given that impression. “Um, no. They’re just really busy with their jobs. My dad, well, he’s at the gym pretty much from morning until night right now. And my mom is designing her clothing line for next fall.” I could hear the bitterness in my words, but Ben didn’t notice. He handed me the package of gummies and turned toward the stage.

The lights had turned down, and I heard him say, “Finally,” under his breath.

A flood of embarrassment poured through me. Was he bugged to be talking to me? He was the one who’d asked so many questions. And bought me treats.

I flashed back to the last time James and I hung out. We’d been watching some show that had another agenda behind the storyline, and I kept pointing it out. I didn’t realize it until I analyzed the whole situation later, but it was one of his favorite movies and he hadn’t liked me calling attention to all those things. When I noticed he wasn’t reacting to my answers, I’d sunk into the couch and kept quiet.

I could still see the hardness of his eyes as he glanced back at me and whispered, “Finally.”

Was I just an annoyance to all things male? Or was it the fact that other than my small group of friends, I didn’t have many people who listened or cared about what was going on in my life? Heat burned in my cheeks and ears. I was glad it was so dark in there so Ben couldn’t see my embarrassment.

But I shouldn’t even care. Rule number one of the new Serena was to stay away from the boys. It was better this way. Don’t worry about talking to the opposite sex and get this lame assignment over with.

I glanced down at the box of unopened peanuts in my lap, trying to decide what to do.

As the first actors came out on stage, spouting things about their town, I set the box on the armrest. I’d make it through the rest of this dumb play and not worry about Ben from here on out.

Five

Ben

I thought we’d made some good progress at the play. I’d only stuttered a few times at the beginning, but I felt at ease with her, something that had never happened when I’d had a crush on any other girl.

My hopes leaped as she let me buy her candy, although she didn’t even open the box. But as soon as the intermission ended, she stiffened, and all the courage I’d built up during our conversation deflated like a balloon.

Once the show was over, she gave a curt goodbye and hurried out the door, leaving the candy on the armrest. I’d actually been more focused on formulating a good plan to ask her out on a real date than watching most of the end of the play, meaning I’d have to do some more research online to get the gist of it for the paper.

Had I asked her too many personal questions and that’s why she’d left like there was a fire?

She’d seemed fairly open about her parents and life, but maybe I’d read it all wrong, which was highly possible. But maybe she’d just learned to be polite since her dad was one of the most famous people in our town. The thought that her dad could bend me into a pretzel sent a shiver through me.

I was lying in my bed Saturday morning when I heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” I called, my voice sounding much deeper than normal. With a quick glance at the time on my phone, I groaned. It was only nine in the morning.

“Still in bed?” Dax’s voice caused me to sit up.

“I’m more surprised that you’re in the land of the living at this hour on a Saturday,” I joked, holding out my hand as he swung his forward to slap mine.

He sat on the end of my bed and shrugged. “I didn’t go out with the others. After I ate dinner, I fell asleep and woke up at seven thirty this morning. I figured I’d come over and see what you were up to.”

“More like make me suffer like you.” I chuckled and fell back onto my pillow.

“How was your play last night?”

I froze for a moment, wondering how he could remember that. Lying on my back, I placed my hands under my head with elbows out, staring at the small spot on the ceiling from a leak years ago.

“It was a play. Nothing too exciting.”

“You didn’t find any girls there, huh?” Dax asked, slapping the blanket over my legs. It didn’t shield my skin from the smack.

If blood could freeze inside a living body, I was sure mine had at that moment. But there was no hint of knowing in Dax’s expression, and I blew out a breath. Shaking my head, I pictured Serena again, the way her smile lit up her eyes. But that image was tainted by her storming away.

“I sat by Serena Gates. The play was boring. I think I fell asleep for the last half of it.” I rushed the last two sentences, hoping he wouldn’t catch on to who I sat by like a hound to prey.

Dax squinted. After a few seconds, he said, “Isn’t she one of Penny’s friends? A sophomore, right?”

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