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“I won’t,” Sienna chimes in beside me. “For the record, I also voted to go home.”
“You didn’t vote,” Paige points out with a giggle. “You bitched and moaned.”
“That was my vote.”
I snort.
“I’m serious, Max. We could be home right now.”
“I know.”
“We could be sitting on the couch, binging true crime documentaries as we speak,” Sienna piles on.
“I know.”
“We could be doing anything else, instead of waiting around for a bunch of sweaty teenage boys who just spent the last two hours tackling each other.”
“I know, Sienna. Geez!”
“Just saying. Oh, and if one of them tries to celebrate their win by hugging me or some shit like that, I’m kneeing him in the balls.”
“You make them sound contagious.” Paige laughs, unaware that Sienna is being dead serious.
“They might be.” She shoots me a warning look. “Who knows how many STDs they have. This school is practically incestuous when it comes to dating. I don’t want any part of that shit.”
“Good to know.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know. That’s what worries me.” I joke, grateful that Sienna’s incessant complaining has managed to distract me from my own problems.
“Fine. I’m not saying another word,” Sienna grumbles.
“You just did,” Paige points out, grinning.
“Trust me, I’m holding back. If I told you how I really felt, you’d be running for the hills.”
“God, you’re such a ray of sunshine tonight,” I chime in.
“I try.” Sienna fake smiles at me.
I’m still laughing at her trying to force an actual smile when I turn my head and walk straight into someone.
“Oops! Sorry.” I take a quick step back and look up. “Oh, Mr. Collins. Hi.”
“Max.” My new English teacher smiles, thankfully looking more amused than annoyed. “Good game, huh?”
“It sure was,” I mimic, despite having absolutely no idea whether it was actually a good game. I mean, we won, so I assume that qualifies.
Mr. Collins smiles at me before shifting his attention to Paige and Sienna. “Evening, girls.”
They both offer their hellos before I notice he isn’t alone. Beside him stands a very pregnant woman with one hand resting on the curve of her stomach, while two younger kids hover nearby.
“Where are my manners?” Mr. Collins says. “Girls, this is my wife, Jessica, and these two troublemakers are Toby and Luke.” He then turns to his wife. “Jess, you remember Paige. She was in my class last year. And this is Sienna Hartley and Maxine Morgan. They’re two of my new students.”
“Hi, girls,” she greets us with a kind smile. “Lovely to meet you all. Right, boys?”
Toby and Luke nod, though neither one is paying attention to us. They’re too busy watching the Fairhope High Falcon mascot flap its wings and chase a group of kids around the parking lot like an oversized bird on the loose.
