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Mr Montgomery has always been intensely into football, and followed Cade and me closely, especially Cade since he’s his son I can remember once, ere little and our team lost, he drove us home and went off about how one loss leads to another and to always, alin no matter the cost

I very carefully ht-lipped smile

He claps his hand on ame I promise you that”

I nod “Cool”

Thishonest, there’s soomery that’s always been … off He has this intense, off-putting way about hie Like he’s so ill send him off Iin his eyes—soht

I’et away fro her plate

“What was that about?” she asks, her eyes shifting nervously from me to her dad behind me

I shrug and pick up a plate “He just wanted to congratulatethe team”

“Ah, of course” She rolls her eyes “Football, the only thing he thinks about” She then gives me a small smile “Thank God you’re not that football obsessed You love it, but it’s not an obsession”

I glance back at her dad “He’s really pissed about Cade not going pro, isn’t he?”

She snorts “Oh, yeah He would’ve been thrilled if Cade would’ve dropped out his junior year and gone pro Like, I’, I’m pretty sure the man would’ve done a dance and he doesn’t dance Like ever” She sighs and her eyes grow sad “I wish he could accept Cade for the man he is, and not the man he wants him to be But he has this idea built up in his head—” she waves her hand near her head to drive ho to measure up to that I don’t think anyone can It’s really sad”

I finish fixing o over to the table Cade and Rae occupy Cade rubs his hands on his shorts and his eyes shift around uneasily Soet cornered by his dad

“We’re here,” Thea sing-songs unnecessarily since it’s pretty obvious that we are, in fact, here

Cade chuckles and forces a ser smell like sater”

“Hey,” Thea scolds Her anger is short-lived, however, when she takes a bite of her hotdog and ” She shoves some chips in her mouth