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  “After that, I’m on break until after Christmas. When we come back together in January, I’ll start teaching the sequence on Saturday mornings at seven o’clock.”

  A loud groan came from everyone.

  Todd smiled slyly and shifted his large brown eyes from left to right, building anticipation in his team. “You’ll have all of February to practice on your own and to make sure your bodies are in perfect shape. We’ll have auditions in March, right before I head to the beach for Spring Break.” Todd flipped his head back like a diva. “Oh, and auditions are open to everyone.”

  Melissa’s heart raced inside her gray T-shirt. She was only a freshman, and her body was not in perfect shape, but something deep inside of her craved the slot of captain, or at least lieutenant. She had always earned solos in her ballet and jazz recitals, but this was different. The girls on this team were so talented! Plus, the older girls had more experience. As far as she knew, there had never been an underclass officer before.

  There were twenty girls on the team and only two slots. Of course, not everyone would try out, and the seniors would graduate, but still! Melissa wanted it so much she could taste the metallic captain’s whistle in her mouth.

  “Okay, enough chitchat.” Todd waited for everyone to resume their places. “And five, six, here we go.” He pushed play, and the notes of the electric piano echoed through the gym.

  Melissa took a deep breath and prayed a silent prayer. Dear God, I don’t know why I want this so badly, but please let me get it. I’ll work so hard for it. I’ll do anything, Melissa pleaded while spotting the front wall to keep from getting dizzy.

  / / /

  Melissa slammed her door shut, blinked her eyes, and exhaled loudly as she climbed into her mom’s minivan.

  “Hi,” she panted, out of breath.

  “Hi, sweetie. Good practice today?” asked Mom, who was, as always, tastefully dressed, in khaki pants and a lavender sweater set.

  “Yeah.” Melissa struggled to get settled with three large cardboard boxes around her feet and her gym bag on her lap.

  Click. She fastened her seat belt.

  “What are those big yellow boxes?” Mom asked, tilting her head to get a better look.

  “Tootsie Pops.”

  “Yum. Are they all for me, or did you go ahead and buy the trick-or-treat candy this year?” Mom winked. Melissa had gotten most of her mother’s genes. They had the same pine green eyes, the same freckles, and the same thick brown hair, except Mom kept hers cut in a short, sensible style, and Melissa grew hers long enough to touch her belt.

  “Very funny, Mom. We have to sell them to raise money for new uniforms.” Melissa repositioned the boxes. “But you could buy all of them from me as your trick-or-treat candy.”

  “How much are you charging?” asked Mom.

  “A quarter a sucker or five for a dollar.” Melissa flashed her best salesgirl grin.

  “Too expensive for me.” Mom waved to Pastor Al, who was walking through the church parking lot. “But I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy ten for our treat jar.”

  “That will be two dollars, please.” Melissa held out her hand.

  “How about I pay you when we get home, and you can pick out which flavors to fill the jar with, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  The hum of the heater filled the car.

  “Is there something else, Mel?” Mom pulled her gaze from the road to look her daughter in the eye.

  “I wish they were M&M’S.”

  “You wouldn’t have any allowance left, and you would never fit into your uniform if they were M&M’S,” Mom said with a laugh. “You would eat them all yourself.”

  The silence surrounded them again.

  Melissa reached to turn up the volume of the Third Day song coming from the speakers.

  “Is there something else, Mel?”

  Mom always knew when something was up.

  “Todd announced officer tryouts today,” Melissa said, tracing the designs on the Tootsie box with her index finger.

  “Oh?” Mom turned the volume back down.

  Melissa knew she was supposed to say more, but she was afraid to say the words out loud.

  “Yeah. They’re open to everyone.” Melissa looked out the window, then back at Mom. “Even underclassmen.”

  “Are you going to try out?”

  For a second Melissa couldn’t breathe. She chewed on the hangnails on either side of her right thumbnail. There it was, out in the open. Was she going to try out?

  “I was thinking about it. Well, I’m sure I won’t be picked, but I want to try. It sounds silly, doesn’t it?”

  The moment of silence that followed confirmed Melissa’s fears. This was foolish. Then Mom let out a sigh and put her hand on top of Melissa’s. “Melissa, if this is something you really want, then you need to go for it.”

  “Maybe I will.” Melissa nodded, relieved. “Maybe.”

  At bedtime Melissa pretended her pajamas were the stark white captain’s uniform. She marched around her room blowing an imaginary whistle until she laughed out loud at herself. She tumbled onto her bed and pulled out the leather-bound study Bible she read each night. She opened the vellum pages to the Ten Commandments bookmark her second-grade Sunday school teacher had given her.

  She read the words of Matthew 7:7: “Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

  Here it is in print. Lord, if I ask You to make me lieutenant or maybe even captain of the team, will You give it to me? I’ve never wanted anything this badly. I know it sounds selfish, but I really think I could help. Oh, by the way, could You help me sell all of my Tootsie Pops too? Back to the officer thing, I could make the underclassmen feel wanted. I could start a Bible study for the girls who were interested after practice. I could . . .

  Melissa drifted to sleep.

  Chapter Four

  Melissa stared at the clock: 5:53 a.m. She turned off her alarm before it rang and reluctantly peeled off her cozy covers. Classes started at seven thirty, and if she wanted to have time to get ready, eat, and stop by her locker before school started, she had to wake up even before her parents!

  She showered, pulled on her pleated uniform skirt and matching sweater, and brushed her hair into a sleek ponytail. Fridays meant football games, and the dance team had to wear their uniforms with their hair pulled back to school. She loved Fridays! Melissa felt important wearing her uniform. The entire school could see she was a good dancer, that she had made the team. Did Beau know she was on the dance team?

  She bounded downstairs, planning to grab a bagel before Gracie’s big brother, Tanner, showed up to take her to school. Tanner was sixteen. Ever since he got his license, he had been driving Gracie and Melissa to school. Although Melissa lived close enough to walk to school, it was more fun riding with her best friend, and it was cool showing up each day in a car.

  Melissa rounded the corner to the kitchen.

  “Happy birthday!” Mom and Dad grinned, still in their pajamas.

  The kitchen table was piled with chocolate chip pancakes, syrup, and butter. Yellow balloons and streamers hung from the brass chandelier. Three packages wrapped in crisp white paper and tied with yellow bows sat at her place.

  Melissa’s whole face smiled, even her eyes.

  “Yummy!”

  She sat down at her place and glanced at the kitchen clock and then back at the presents.

  “We know you don’t have much time,” said Mom. “But it wouldn’t be a birthday without presents and treats. You start opening, and I’ll fix your plate.”

  Dad took a sip of coffee and nodded. He looked like he’d been awake all of two minutes. His thinning sandy hair was tousled, and his lively green eyes hid behind his thick Clark Kent–style glasses. Melissa loved those glasses. She thought they made Dad look the part of the magazine editor he was.

  Melissa tore open the small package on top—a silver pom pom charm.

  “I love it!” Her eyes widened as she
unhooked her bracelet to add the new charm. She extended her wrist and shook it gently so the charms tinkled.

  “Glad you like it.” Dad nodded.

  She shoved a huge bite of fluffy pancake drenched in syrup and filled with melted bits of chocolate into her mouth.

  “Mom, these are so good!”

  Her other boxes held jeans, a yellow sweater, and iTunes and Amazon gift cards. No cell phone. Not that she was expecting one. Her parents had made it pretty clear she couldn’t have one until she was a sophomore. But she was the only student in her entire high school without a phone. Her friends had to call her on her mom’s phone. And forget about texting. It was more than embarrassing. It was pathetic.

  Beep! Beep! Tanner pulled into the driveway.

  Melissa gulped down another bite of pancake.

  “Thanks, guys, you’re the best—really, the best.” Melissa shook her head. “That’s Tanner. Gotta go.”

  “You barely ate anything,” Mom protested.

  Melissa stooped over and shoveled in two more bites as she threw her backpack over her shoulder.

  “Happy birthday, sweetie,” said Dad.

  “Happy birthday,” Mom echoed.

  / / /

  Kick, kick, fan. Kick, kick, kick, down—into the splits.

  Melissa’s heart thundered in her chest. The last chord of the band echoed throughout the stadium, hanging in the air for a moment. The note was then overpowered by applause from the bleachers.

  Knee up, stand up, step right, cross. Bow, two, three and stand and smile.

  She beamed toward the stadium lights. She had nailed the routine—every kick, turn, and step of it—the last halftime performance of the football season. Melissa ran toward the sidelines with the other members of the team. Adrenaline popped through her veins like fireworks. Metallic gold pompoms crinkled by her sides.

  “Woo-hooo!” Alyssa, the captain, shouted.

  Melissa turned to hug Lindsey. As she squeezed her friend’s polyester uniform, she caught a glimpse of Beau running back onto the field. She could see only his dark eyes peeking out from his helmet, but she knew it was Beau by the number fourteen tattooed across his jersey.

  Lindsey was saying something.

  “Uh-huh.” Melissa nodded as they released their hug.

  Lindsey turned to see what was mesmerizing Melissa. “Who are you ogling?”

  Melissa hadn’t told anyone except Gracie about her crush on Beau. She had just met all of her other friends at the beginning of school, and she didn’t want them to think she was silly. Beau would never like her. She just grinned.

  “Tell me who it is!” Lindsey demanded, her voice rising in pitch.

  Melissa looked around to make sure no one was listening.

  “Promise you won’t tell?” she asked, tilting her head toward Lindsey’s.

  “Promise.” Lindsey nodded.

  “Beau Pointreaux,” Melissa whispered. She didn’t want anyone to know, especially Jill, who was walking by with permaglare on her face.

  “Shut up!” Lindsey squealed. “That new guy? He is sooo cute! Does he know you like him?”

  “Well, he didn’t,” Melissa said. “But I’m sure he does now, thanks to you.”

  Lindsey waved her hand. “He didn’t hear. We have got to get him to ask you out.” Lindsey giggled as they walked back to their spot in the end zone.

  “There is definitely no chance of that.” Melissa shook her head. Then she stole another glance at the sidelines. There he was—number fourteen. Her heart jumped in her chest like a piece of popcorn in a pan of sizzling oil.

  Even though she was sweating from her performance, the chilly autumn evening made her shiver. She pulled on her navy and white wool letter jacket. She cheered and laughed and even watched a little bit of the game with the other girls. The Huskies were winning by six points as the clock ticked down the end of the season.

  “Seven, six, five,” the girls chanted.

  “Four, three, two, one,” the crowd joined in.

  “Yea!” Lindsey and Melissa jumped up and down, cheering a victory.

  Eventually the troupe headed back to the band room, where they changed out of their uniforms. As she pulled off her white boots Alyssa announced, “Anyone who’s interested, we’re headed to Pizzaro’s to celebrate!”

  “Sounds good to me.” Lindsey licked her lips.

  “I love their cheese sticks,” Melissa said, imagining the gooey, melted mozzarella. She pulled at the snap on her jeans. They felt snug. “But I should really head home. Mom and Dad are waiting for me, and I have piles of homework.”

  “C’mon.” Lindsey cracked her gum. “I bet one of the older girls will give us a ride. You can ask your folks. Plus, who does homework on a Friday night?”

  “Thanks. Next time.” Melissa squeezed Lindsey, slung her bag over her shoulder, and waved to some of the other girls as she made her way out the door. Football season may be over, but basketball season was just starting. The dance team would still have practice on Monday.

  She walked down the narrow hall lined with navy blue lockers toward the parking lot. She could almost smell the tangy, greasy air that lingered in the pizza parlor. She wanted those cheese sticks. But if she was trying out for captain, she knew she would have to slim down.

  “Hey.” A thick voice, sounding like a Southern drawl stirred into a New York accent, caught Melissa off guard.

  Beau stood near the large metal doors leading to the parking lot. His hair was wet, and his soap smell was stronger than ever.

  Melissa felt her body tense like she had been tapped in a game of freeze tag. Then a goofy giggle gurgled from her throat.

  “Hi.” Melissa cocked her head. “You startled me. The game was great, really. I loved watching us win.” Why couldn’t she think of anything clever to say? Beau was so cute and was actually talking to her, and she was just rambling.

  “Thanks.” Beau seemed so calm and mellow. The way the dimple showed in his left cheek when he smiled made Melissa feel dizzy. “You headed out?”

  “Yeah, you? I thought all the players probably went out or something.”

  There was an awkward pause. Melissa heard her heart beating. She had to say something so Beau wouldn’t hear it too. “I mean, some of the squad is going out, but, well, I wasn’t in the mood, and I have to spend all weekend studying. Did you study French yet?”

  Great. Now she sounded like a dork—studying on a Friday night.

  Beau opened the heavy door for her.

  Melissa’s left index fingernail popped up to her mouth. She pulled it out. No chewing!

  Before she knew it, they were in the parking lot. She could see her parents’ silver van.

  “No, I haven’t studied for the test yet,” Beau answered. “Do you want to get together Sunday afternoon and look over it?”

  “Yeah . . . yeah, that would be great.” Did he just suggest they get together? Probably just because she was good at French. He just wanted to study with the nerd to do well on the test.

  “Do you want to come over to my house? Or I could come to your house?” Beau asked.

  “You could come to my house. I mean, I’ll have to check with my folks, but I’m sure it will be fine.” Melissa nodded.

  “I’ll call around noon to check, okay?”

  Melissa felt all fidgety inside and didn’t know if she could stand there alone with him much longer.

  “Super!” she said. Then with a grin, she added, “Bye!” and flipped her ponytail. She wanted to hide inside her parents’ van where she didn’t have to think about what to say or what he thought, but she also wanted to stand near him smelling him and listening to his accent forever.

  Melissa paused in the middle of the parking lot, widened her eyes, and shook her head. She could see Beau walking toward a black Jeep.

  Beau turned and waved. “Happy birthday, Melissa.”

  How did he know?

  Chapter Five

  Melissa plopped down in a blue plastic ch
air and put her tray on the round table where her friends were already eating.

  “A salad!” Raven shrieked, tilting her head. Her café au lait skin was accented by beautiful deep brown eyes and a heart-shaped mouth with lips so naturally pink she looked as if she were wearing lipstick. Raven’s glossy black hair was always perfectly in place in a hip 1960s flip. “What’s up with that?”

  “I’m just trying to be healthy,” Melissa muttered, looking down.

  “Healthy, shmealthy,” Lindsey chanted, popping a French fry in her mouth. Lindsey could eat buckets of fries and get away with it. She was so tiny.

  “How’d you do on the test?”

  Melissa looked up and saw Beau standing beside their table. He looked especially handsome in a black shirt that set off his dark hair and eyes.

  “I did okay, I think. I mean, I’m sure I screwed up that essay, but hey, whatever. I think I aced the vocab, thanks to you.” Melissa grinned.

  “Vous êtes une étudiante extraordinaire!” Beau winked and walked away, carrying his tray. His French sounded so exotic in the cafeteria.

  Melissa’s cheeks felt like freshly lit candles. He had made a point of coming over to talk to her, even when her friends surrounded her. It broke some barrier or code or unwritten school social rule.

  As soon as he was three feet away, the table erupted in giggles.

  “You have to tell us all about it!” Emma begged, dipping nachos in bright orange goo. Melissa adored Emma and envied her fiery red hair, but seeing Emma eat the epitome of junk food only to constantly complain about her weight made Melissa nauseous. She wanted to toss Emma’s plastic nacho bowl into the trash for her.

  Emma and Lindsey were best friends from grade school. But Melissa wasn’t quite sure if Emma liked her or not. She seemed so different from sweet beauty-queen Lindsey. Theirs was just one of the four grade schools that fed into Spring Hill High. Raven moved here from Atlanta and played soccer with Gracie on the girls’ junior varsity squad. At the beginning of the school year, the girls had clung together, and the five of them had become inseparable.