Today we were working in the gym because it was pouring rain out on the field. I sat on a stool by the weights and talked to Dane while he lifted. Coach was making me be super careful with weight-lifting because he didn’t want me to overuse my pitching arm.

“I can’t believe school starts in a week. I’m so nervous.” I took a drink of some water and waved at Gabe and Trevor as they walked by.

Dane stopped lifting and looked over at me. “You’ll be fine. We’ll be right there with ya.” He sat up and rubbed his shoulder. He looked at Coach as Zach walked over to him and started talking to him.

It was so hard to pretend like Zach and I were nothing around everyone. Dane was the only person who knew, and he was good at hiding it. But I couldn’t help but feel like everyone was watching us, which made me extra cautious.

“Can you give me Sadie’s number? I need to actually hang out with her.”

Dane laughed then nodded. “Yeah. I’ll text it to you after practice. What’s going to happen if you text Sadie the wrong thing?” he asked quietly. “Why don’t you just let him get you another phone?”

“How’d you know about that?” I asked quietly and laughed. “Does Zach talk to you about us?”

“He asked me about the phone idea after he asked how watchful I thought your parents were. Besides that, no, he doesn’t talk to me. Which I’m thankful for. Especially, since he was in an oddly good mood yesterday.” He raised an eyebrow at me.

I blushed and looked at my hands instead of at Dane. “I have no idea why.”

“Sure you don’t.” He laughed and laid back down on the bench. “You want to hang out after school? I’m going to be spending the night at Coach’s tonight since it’s the weekend.”

“I can’t. My parents mentioned something about going out of town to have some family time before school starts.” I got up from the stool and looked at Zach and Coach as they walked over.

“How’s your shoulder, Dane?” Coach asked as he looked him over.

“Fine,” Dane said, moving before Coach could look at it. Coach and Zach looked at him oddly for a moment.

I was doing my best to remain completely normal. I drank some water, fidgeted with my shirt, and looked at everything except for Zach.

Coach looked at me. “You ready for school to start?”

“Not really.”

Zach kept his eyes on Dane then turned to Coach. “I have to head out. I’ll bring dinner home tonight.” He nodded toward me then left the gym.

I walked over to the treadmill to get in some cardio before it was time to leave.

I PICKED UP a pair of sandals I liked, and Sadie picked up the same pair. “We should get them!” She said with a huge smile.

“I don’t know. I don’t really wear this kind of stuff. I tend to stick to my tennis shoes or Toms.”

“Oh, come on, Hailey. You’re a girl. You should act like it.”

I frowned. “I do act like it. I just don’t follow the latest fashion trends. I like to dress up every once in awhile, but I never really have reason to. It’s baseball uniforms or workout gear.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “And what do you normally wear to school?”

“My last school required uniforms” And that’s why we were at the mall. I needed an actual wardrobe for school since they didn’t require uniforms “You dress nice. Not too girly. You’re like the perfect in-between. Just pick me out things you would wear, and I’ll just go with it.” I laughed.

“I can handle that.” She immediately went to skimming the shirt racks.

I walked over to the jeans and pulled out a few pair that were the right size. My phone dinged from my back pocket. I pulled it out to see Sadie’s name on it.

Sadie: You look very sexy today.

I looked around confused.

Me: How do you know? I haven’t seen you. lol

Sadie: I have my ways.

Me: Are you stalking me?

Zach: Lol. I’m with Millie at Build-a-Bear. I saw you pass.

Me: You’re here at the mall?

Sadie: Yep.

Me: I’ll come see you at Build-a-Bear if that’s okay?

Sadie: I’d like that.

I found Sadie and told her that I was going to the restroom and would meet her back at Rue21. I handed her the jeans I had picked out to hold for me and left the store. I found Build-a-Bear, and a huge grin spread across Millie’s face when she saw me.

“Hey, you!” I bent down to hug her. I picked her up a little and then set her back down on her feet. “What are you building today?”

She showed me a pink bunny she was holding. “A bunny. Uncle Zach is making some too.”

Zach had a hand behind his back. He looked like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Whatcha’ hiding?”

He shrugged. “Nothin’.” I looked behind his back and saw two bears. I looked back at his face. He was trying not to smile.

“Nothing, huh?” I laughed.

He laughed. “I like Build-a-Bear. I swear Millie has about a hundred of these.”

My phone dinged. It was the real Sadie. I had her in my phone with two e’s.

Sadie: Where are you? I’m running out of ways to hold all this stuff! I’m getting your dressing room started.

I looked at Millie and Zach. “Gotta go.”

Millie hugged me then went to look at clothes for her bunny.

Zach smiled after her then looked at me. “I’ll see ya later?” he asked with a smile.

I nodded. “Under the Owl Tree at midnight.” I whispered and hurried back to Rue21.