He beamed, nodding. “I know you can’t come to all the games, but ...”
I blinked. “What do you mean? Why can’t I come to all the games?”
He tilted my head and smiled after me. “Well, I mean you can if you want, but there’s away games and you might be busy.”
“Everyone keeps telling me I’ll be busy. So far I’m busy with you guys,” I said.
Silas laughed, pressing a palm over his chest. “Aggele mou, you haven’t even started being busy yet.”
My mouth fell open. “It gets busier?”
He winked at me, but the biology teacher was directing our attention. I had to sit back and pretend to pay attention.
Silas sat back, but his long legs slid underneath my chair. Out of habit now, I rocked my ankles against his leg, slightly resting. This time though, Silas pressed his leg slightly back, which surprised me. I thought he wanted more room. When I pushed my foot slightly out of his way, he backed his feet up, slipping them around mine and pushed my ankles together with his legs, trapping my legs between his.
I smiled, staring blankly ahead as the biology teacher continued the lecture. Silas kept his legs around mine for the rest of the class. My heart was thudding the entire time. It felt like Silas nearly hugging me. I couldn’t stop thinking about him, which again left me guilty.
I wanted to trust them that they knew what they were doing, but I also was in way over my head. I had no idea what to do.
DATE NIGHT
Marie returned home with us, finding the car after school was over. This time it was just Kota and Nathan and I. Luke went with Victor and Gabriel. North and Silas were sticking together after school to get ready for the first game.
When we got to Sunnyvale, Marie hopped out of the car but waited for me to get out.
“I think I’m going to hang out with Danielle this weekend,” she said.
I nodded, but understood her tone. She was waiting for me to tell her what I was doing. I glanced at Nathan, who was shaking his head but I didn’t understand what he meant. “Well, I think we’ll be ...”
“Hanging around here,” Kota said over me. He looked back at Marie. “We might pop over to my house or Nathan’s for a little bit but for the most part we’ll probably stay here.”
Marie nodded like she was expecting this. She headed toward the house.
“Kota,” I said quietly after Marie was out of earshot.
He leaned close to me as we approached the side door. “If she thinks we’re hanging out here, she’s less likely to bring Danielle over,” Kota said. “I’d rather if it were going to happen that we are actually here. Maybe next weekend. But this weekend, we’re too busy. You won’t be here.”
I nodded. It made sense but it distracted me at how easily he lied to her.
When we were inside, Kota had us all sit down and do our homework in the living room.
“Let’s get it out of the way,” he said.
Nathan grumbled but started pulling books out of his bag. Kota disappeared into the kitchen to grab water bottles and a packet of crackers for us.
Homework was usually not a problem for me, but today I kept my phone out in front of me on the floor as I worked. I checked the time every couple of minutes. I didn’t want to be late to the game.
“I’m going to take that phone from you,” Kota said, not looking up from the textbook he was reading.
“I’m just checking the time.”
Nathan lunged over and snatched up my phone. “Finish up.”
I grunted, but I figured I might have been a little distracting.
When the last bit of homework was finished, I snapped my books shut and started stuffing them all into my bag.
Kota glanced up. “Done?”
“Yup.”
He grinned. “Do you want to study?”
“Nope.”
Nathan laughed, dropping a hand on top of my head and rubbing. “At least she’s honest.”
“What do we do?” I asked. I wasn’t sure how to prepare for a football game or a party.
Kota closed his textbook, stuffing it into his bag. “Can you guys do me a favor?”
I picked my head up. A favor for Kota? “Yeah,” I said. “What do we do?”
“My mom hasn’t stopped bugging me about taking you out,” he said. He looked at Nathan. “I’m going to drive over to my house. When you guys are ready, Sang, you show up at the front door. Nathan, just climb into the back seat of the car and wait.”
Nathan started laughing. “No, I want to see this.”
Kota rolled his eyes. “Please? She’s asking me all the time why I’m not taking Sang out. Now I can show her I am. Maybe she’ll calm down. If you’re there, she’ll complain it isn’t a real date or something.”
Why was he waiting until the last minute to tell us? And why did he have to make it sound that he really didn’t want to go out on a date with me at all and was only doing this to appease his mother? It made me wonder if he really wanted to go out tonight at all. It confused me more that Nathan accused him of being jealous of Silas asking me out before. There was no way he could be jealous of Silas if he didn’t want to go out with me in the first place. “Okay, I guess,” I said, feeling unsure and glancing at Nathan.
“Yes, okay,” Nathan said, rolling his eyes. “I’ll play along.”
???
A half hour later, I walked toward Kota’s house. Nathan did his ninja thing, slipping through the yard and getting into the back of Kota’s car. He sprawled out into the back seat to not stand out. I thought he had the easy job.
I stepped up to the front door and touched the doorbell button, listening to it ring. Why did this feel more awkward than normal? Wasn’t the guy supposed to pick the girl up at her house?
Jessica, Kota’s little sister, answered the door. Her pink rimmed glasses were sliding down her nose but she adjusted them as she looked out at me. She beamed. “Hi, Sang,” she said.
“Hi, Jessica,” I responded. “Is Kota ready?”
“Yup,” she said, and she opened the door further, leaving it for me to close as she did a half skip off into the house. “Kota! Sang’s here.”
I closed the door behind me and turned around to find Erica appearing from around the corner of the hallway. She smiled at me, coming down the hall with her arms opened up for a hug.
“Hey girl,” she said. She never wavered, hugging me and air kissing near my cheek. I did my best not to stiffen. “Glad you’re here. I think he was getting nervous you wouldn’t show up.”
I grinned. Kota was nervous? “I’m here now,” I said.
“Kota?” Erica called into the house.
“I’m right here,” Kota said, coming from around the corner of the living room. He’d changed from his school uniform to jeans and a green polo shirt and a blue zipper hoodie with a Nike logo. He paused, looking me over in the same short dark skirt and pink blouse I’d worn earlier to school. “Are you going to be warm enough?” he asked. “It’s supposed to get chilly tonight.”
“No, silly,” Erica said, patting him on the arm with her hand. “If she gets cold, you’re supposed to give her your jacket. And maybe wrap your arm around her. And maybe kiss her or something.”
“Mom,” Kota said, groaning.
“What?” Erica said, grinning after him. “I’m your mother. I’m allowed to pick on you about your first date.”
My head rocked back and my mouth parted in surprise. This was Kota’s first date? Or what she thought was his first? Suddenly I was embarrassed at the ruse we were putting on. I didn’t want to lie to her any more.
“We should get going,” Kota said. “We want to get good seats.”
“Wish North and Silas luck from me,” Erica said.
Kota approached the hallway. He tucked his head toward me. “Sorry,” he whispered, and straightened again. “Do we have everything?”
“Wait a second,” Erica said from the living room. We turned just in time to get a bright flash in our e
yes. Erica pushed the camera’s button again and another flash went off. “Kota, put your arm around her.”
Kota grunted, but shoved an arm around my shoulders, clutching around my collarbone. “Hurry,” he said.
Erica flashed another picture. This time I thought enough to smile for it. “There,” she said. “That’s better.”
“Can we go now?” Kota asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“We’ll be back ...” Kota paused, checking his watch as if trying to figure out a time to estimate.
“If you’re back before midnight, I’ll skin you both,” she said. She waved us off. “Make him buy you dinner, Sang. I’ll see you later.”
Kota shook his head, rolling his eyes and opened the door for me.
I was still giggling when we got into Kota’s car.
“It’s not that funny,” Kota said, starting up the engine.