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Ted doesn’t see her He is looking elsewhere

"Is that hiht ahead and points at soymnasium I squint to make out the faces fro at Kyle, who is somewhat; subdued in his applause for the football players as Infinite Darlene introduces the a fes up

I see an empty seat Then, next to it, I see Noah

He senses ht atat Ted, who’s still pointing

"Put your finger down," I say between gritted teeth

"Chill," Ted tells h the air, as if he hadn’t been pointing at Noah at all I try to play along

When the whole pointing charade is over, I see that Noah’s still where he was a second ago I don’t knohy I thought he would have disappeared I guess I don’t believe these things can ever be easy, although I also don’t see why they have to be hard

Joni’s broken her attention fro on

"Don’t just sit here," she says

"If you don’t go over there, I will--and I’ll tell him all about your crush," Ted infor or not

It’s athat Joni and Ted aren’t going to let ylance, but I wave her off Over the loudspeakers, I can hear Infinite Darlene’s crystal voice: "And now, introducing the quarterback … the one … the only … ME"

I look at the crowd Everyone cheers, except for son disinterest

I duck behind the bleachers, weaving to the stairs I wonder what I’ll say I wonder if I’m about to make a fool ofin tiet to the bottom of the stands I’ve lost track of the space I can’t find Noah I look back to Joni and Ted Much to my mortification, they both point me ontea in her last round of applause I swear she winks when she looks my way

I focus on the seat next to Noah I do not focus on his crazy-cool hair, or his blue suede shoes, or the specks of paint on his hands and his arms

I am beside him

"Is this seat taken?" I ask

He looks up at

"Hey," he says, "I’ve been looking all over for you"

I don’t knohat to say I ah the stands as the quiz bowling tea for pins while answering questions about Einstein’s theory of relativity

"I’ve been looking for you, too," I say at last

He says, "Cool," and it’s cool So cool

I sit down next to hi tea the complete works of the Bronte sisters

I don’t want to scare hi me I don’t want him to kno important this is He has to feel the importance for himself