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What aed If I continued to do well, I would only trapway beyond s would becoroaned

The crowd on our side booed and hissed as the Bobcats scored I tried to open y around ative The best I could do was sense the nearby disappointrirabbed my shoulder "You okay to come back in?"

I nodded

Bryan handed ot flattened Coach Burgundy shot me a look that made my heart palpitate with fear Elyssa could probably take care of herself, I reasoned, but not Ash or Nyte And who else would these bozos go after? To avebadly so they’d lose How had I gone fro their feelings?

I wanted to screaood The crowd on our side had gone silent I spotted Stacey still atop the broadcasting booth, s in a mischievous way She puckered her lips and kissed the air I spotted Ash and Nyte Ash bit his fingernails Nyte gnawed on a corn dog A fes to their right, Katie’s sad green eyes looked at me She blew me a kiss Jenny and Annie sat next to her They snickered and laughed about so I looked for Elyssa I didn’t see her I was hoping reatness "I love you," she’dwould stopus to mush on the football field

Am I an idiot or what?

The Bobcats scored three more times Their defensive line crushed me more times than I wanted to ree froundy was beside hie by the time half-time finally arrived and the teaht," Nathan said as he shoved past me and into the locker room "You ain’t worth crap, Case"

Bryan gave me a sympathetic look and went into the locker rooo in then slipped away to the side I threwlot thirty yards away Now that I played football, it seeht now Why should I stick around?

I could warn Ash and Nyte, and tell theood as gone, and my life here as I kneas over I stalked back and forth at the edge of the parking lot Why did my conscience burdenme I pulled off my uniform and left a trail of jersey, shoulder pads, and helmet behind me I decided to keep on the pants and cleats for decency’s sake

I looked for Stacey, hoping she’d show up so I could cave in to her de life as whatever I was I looked atop the broadcasting booth but couldn’tware air conditioning unit sat silent in the cool fall air Giggles echoed froe My fornized as Sally Pal out She slapped Harry’s hands away as he tried to unbutton her shirt

"Come on, baby You know I love you," he said

Ravenous tendrils shot fro missiles I couldn’t stop them I felt the heat from Sally’s mind, her molten sensuality like lavender-scented steam in the air I breathed it in as asped Her eyes ide She ripped open her shirt, revealing a lacy white bra Buttons showered the concrete Sally grabbed Harry by the shirt Pulled him on top of her as she pulled his T-shirt over his head

"Holy crap!" he said, shocked "What changed yourhis scrawny hair-speckled chest with kisses She reached for his belt Fear blosso, he wrestled her for the belt buckle

"Are you sure, baby?"

"Shut up and kiss me," she de his belt buckle Energy, pure and delicious, flowed into ether, a tornado of psychic energy floodingit withinfull and satisfied on the one hand, and a little disgusted for causing and witnessing an alraphic scene Harry had beenhiirl

"I’m not ready" Harry broke away from Sally’s latest atteht "I--I thought I was"

"You scaredy-cat," she said "All that big talk, and now you tell uear off the pave to abandonout and see it through to the end It’s easy to be an optimist on a full, u the ill-gotten energy I stood outside the locker roo bands cavort on the field for the rest of half-tiundy obviously hadn’t given them a cheery pep talk because they looked like a bunch of sad pandas So slaps or punches to the shoulder Nathan growled at undy fro heavily on my shoulder pad He hawked, snorted, and then spat into the dirt