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"Do I need to get a ticket?"

"Of course not--we’l sit in the owner’s box"

"Damn Yeah, I definitely want to come"

"Cool I’l cal you about details Oh--and wear a suit or so nice"

"I can do that Thanks for the invite"

I s out with Ty under the supervision of JJ and Carter They’l keep ht?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I’l check out this party"

"Gonna hang with Kristen again?"

"Hel no," he says, laughing "I like being with girls who have actual brain activity Girls like you"

Oh My God I quickly say, "Have fun I’l cal you tomorrow Bye!" I ju in the rearviewme

At home, I run upstairs to Mike’s room and pound on the door

"Co on the floor playing a footbal video game I sit down next to hi ho? No hot date with Ty?"

"If you want to play bal tomorrow, you’d better shut your ht" Mike laughs as he iames

"So tel me what the Alaba to talk about Ty first He’s real y cool, Jordan And even though he’s not starting this year, he’l have his pick of col eges"

"Great," I say, throwing the control er down I stand and shuffle across the room and fal onto Mike’s bed

"Tel uy said"

"Well , on the do, since I stretched the rules a bit by talking to hiht, they’l offer you a ful ride"

"You’re kidding ood work and you’re a shoo-in for Alabaet hurt, and don’t do anything stupid"

"But isn’t it kinda weird that they’re wil ing to give ht?"

"Hel , don’t question it," Mike says, laughing "Just rol with it I would"

"It would be awesome if I went to Alabama--we’d be rivals!"

"Tennessee would total y kick your ass"

"Sure, keep tel ing yourself that"

Mike rubs his jaw "But there’s one thing I don’t think either of us has considered The coaches of any school you go to are going to use you as a recruit you al the ti"

"Ugh," I say "Like that time Sports Illustrated wanted to do an article on me? Thank God Dad stepped in and said no"

"Yup," Mike says "I don’t think your life wil be so private any about you"

"As long as I can play col ege bal , I don’t care"

"Cool Now, on to more important issues--tel me what’s up with Ty I like hia?"

"I can if you want rinning

"Please come Please help me act normal I real y like Ty and want to be his friend, but I keep pushing hinored him most of the time"

Mike suddenly drops the control er "He sat next to you on the bus? In the back row? In front of al those guys? Oh sis, he total y wants you bad"

"What are you talking about?" I say with a sigh

"I can’t even iirl in front of al those guys Henry and JJ wil kick Ty’s ass if he hurts you And even if they don’t kick his ass, they’l make fun of hi it," Mike laughs

Enough about Ty "I’ to bed Thanks for the help with the coach"

"No prob Wait--Jordan," Mike says, standing and putting a hand on h life never taking a chance on a guy"

"I don’t know if I can," I whisper

"Why not?"

"I don’t kno to kiss or anything like that"

Mike chuckles "Sis, if he kisses you, you’l figure out how to kiss back pretty quickly"

"What if we get together, and then he breaks up with ether"

"He wouldn’t risk anything if he wasn’t serious Trust uy"

I nod "Yeah, I know"

But is a good guy worth the risk of losing sight of oals? My dreamy favorite brother

(okay,

Laughing

Shouting

Telling Mo no father could have a better son

And I’ht there

Ready to drown myself in nacho cheese

’Cause all I have is football

And the person I want to share it with,

Hasn’t even asked if I won last night…

henry

the count? 17 days until alabaame, Mike total y kicked the Florida Gators’

asses, 21–10 I screaot hoarse