Page 117 of Don't Let Me Go (Don't Let Me 2)

When he passes the ball back to me, I ask, “Seriously. Have you played a lot of soccer in the past?”

He shrugs. “My dad would play with me sometimes.”

“Well, you’re a natural,” I tell him.

Another shrug.

“Want to play another round? Maybe practice hitting toward the goal? Or we can try to see how many times we can juggle it before the ball hits the ground?”

His little shoulders bounce up and down again.

“Or we could just sit and chat while we wait,” I offer.

Sucking his bottom lip into his mouth, he kicks at the grass. “Whatever you want, Miss Blakely.”

My eyes crinkle in the corners.

Miss Blakely.

This kid is way too adorable.

“I’m a sucker for twenty questions,” I murmur. “Wanna play?”

He peeks up at me, his brown eyes tugging at my heartstrings. “Sure.”

“Alrighty, then.” I plop onto the grass and cross my legs in front of me, patting the ground beside me.

Cautiously, he sits down and cradles the soccer ball in his lap.

There are so many questions I’d love to ask, but I refuse to let him get lost in his own head when it’s clear he lives there far too often.

I start the game. “Favorite candy?”

“Snickers.”

“Ooo, those are good. Personally, I’m a sucker for Take 5s.”

“What’s a Take 5?” he asks, looking up at me.

I gasp and clutch at my chest. “You don’t know what a Take 5 is?”

Shaking his head, he says, “No?”

“Dude. You gotta try a Take 5. I’ll see if I can bring some to the next practice.”

“You don’t have to,” he mutters. He looks back down at the grass, picking some of it with his fingers.

I nudge his shoulder with my own. “I want to. I’ll even bring a bag of Snickers, and we can compare with the rest of the group. Does that sound okay?”

His shoulders lift in another shrug, but his cute little lips tilt up in the corner, too, and the sight gives me hope. Like maybe he’ll be all right after all.

“Okay, what’s your favorite soda?” I prod.

“Orange Crush.”

“Shut up! Orange Crush was my best friend’s––” I snap my mouth shut, surprised by the declaration and how much it hurts to think of Theo or the fact that I look at him like my best friend instead of my brother’s.

“Your best friend likes Crush?” Bridger asks.

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