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“Is that why you’re all in class bothering us?”

“Yes” When we don’t have a schedule, the players tend to get wild We don’t have to get up at five to lift or run We don’t have batting practice in the afternoons in the ninety-degree sun We don’t have six-hour road trips to tournaments that last three days, and now that ot an endless a because he’s going pro, but the rest of us are doing nothing but waiting for college Dad says that idle hands are the devil’s workshop, and the way I’ood exalad we’re in our fun mode?”

“As opposed to what other mode?”

“Moody asshole?”

“If those are my two choices, then yes”

“What are you drawing?” I scoot up farther, brush her hair to the side, and stick my chin on her shoulder Immediately her hand covers her work “Come on, Carrie Show me”

“No It’s not done, and you know I don’t like showing my unfinished work”

“At least tell me what the subject matter is”

She puts down her pencil and shoves my face off her shoulder “No”

“I’m not a fan of that word Try ‘yes’ instead”

“You’ve been trying to get ht the turkey club sandwich to lunch in middle school, and my answer now is the same as it was then No”

I settle back inat her emphatic denial

“Crash and burn, my dude,” Dean murmurs next to me

A tube of pain cream lands on my desk courtesy of Tommy “For the burn,” he snickers

Not to be left out, Logan, the reliever on our teaives me a sympathetic shoulder squeeze I whip the er, and then say, “Et tu Brutus?” to Logan