JORDAN MACKENZIE has just lost her mother and brother, Nicholas, in a car accident while coming home from a first-place finish in her weightlifting competition. And while her father has also survived the accident, it feels like he's abandoned her to...
I woke up early and made my way toward Nicky's room. I knocked gently on the closed door.
"Nate?"
No answer.
I knocked a little louder and still heard nothing. I knew he had an afternoon game, but I didn't expect he would have left the house so early.
Carefully and quietly, I turned the knob and peeked inside. Nate was gone.
I pushed the door open fully and looked around. The bed had been made. Nicky never made his bed. Other than that Nate had left Nicky's room fairly untouched. Nicky's dirty pile of clothes had been placed in a hamper and set to the side, beside the clothes that still had to be put away. Nate had his own neat piles of folded clothes that he kept on the other side of the room. He hadn't bothered to use any of the closet space or dressers.
I heard my dad shuffle into the kitchen. I quickly left the room, careful to close the door behind me.
I took a quick shower to save some time. If I hurried, I could swing by the ballfield on my way to the bowling alley. I didn't know if I would even be allowed to talk to Nate if he was already preparing for today's game but I wanted to thank him for talking to my dad last night.
The warm summer air had evaporated all traces of yesterday's storm. The sky was blue and clear - not a cloud to be seen. I felt grateful for the warmth of the sun on my body as I walked along.
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The home team was out in the outfield, stretching and warming up before the game. I approached the edge of the left field fence and scanned the players. Nate was in the middle of the group, stretching out his hips.
As he rose up to switch stretching positions, he did a double-take, realizing it was me standing at the edge of the field. He gave me a quick nod and wave before one of his teammates called his attention back to the field.
I heard a loud recognizable giggle from the bleachers. Kari was sitting there. Her brunette hair fell in cascading waves and I could see her extended eyelashes, even from the outfield. Her outfit was cute but effortless. She waved enthusiastically at Nate in the outfield. He gave her a quick nod of acknowledgement.
I looked down at my own outfit. I had thrown on a pair of leggings and a tank top, as per usual. My frizzy hair was pulled into a messy bun and I didn't even bother with makeup.
Barb's words echoed in my mind, "If that boy was meant to be, he wouldn't give that girl a second glance."
"Leaving so soon?" Scotty startled me, as I turned to leave. He was standing within five feet of me and I didn't have a backpack to defend me this time.
He wore that stupid sideways grin on his face and he took a step closer.
"I could recognize those legs from a mile away," he said.
"I told you to leave me alone."
"Oh, come on," Scotty replied. "I'm not doing anything."
A baseball slammed against the outfield fence, causing us both to jump.
