Pulling my hair up into a ponytail, I get dressed and slide on my sneakers. When I’m back upstairs, my eyes are immediately drawn to Apollo. He towers over everyone, including the gym teacher, so he’s kind of hard to miss.
Next to him is Amber, and he leans his head down to hear what she’s saying. When she reaches out and touches his arm, I turn around, not wanting to be caught staring. Why do I suddenly feel like crying?
“All right, we’re going to check your coordination today,” the gym teacher, Mr. Rose, says. “Everyone pair up.”
“Oh! Crew, be my partner,” I hear Amber squeal.
“Are you with me, new girl?” Emerson asks, and I nod.
“Yes please.”
“Not happening. She’s mine.” Apollo snags my hand and pulls me with him. “Sorry, Emerson, you get Amber.”
“Hey!” Amber puffs out her bottom lip at Apollo, but he doesn’t pay her any attention.
It’s almost cold, and I wonder if this is how he treats the girls he’s dated in his past. She said they hung out over the summer, so that can only mean one thing. Right? Amber turns her gaze on to me, and if looks could kill, I’d be dead.
Great. I’m making all kinds of friends.
Chapter Six
Apollo
While Coach Rose grabs a giant bag of sports equipment, everyone makes two lines with our partners across from us. Celeste blushes as she looks down at her feet, and I can’t help but smile at her. She’s so damn cute when she’s nervous. We’re close enough to touch at this point, and damn do I want to.
“I’m going to give your team a ball to toss back and forth. With every toss, I want you to take a step away from each other. While you do that I’m going to come around and make notes.”
“This is complete bullshit,” I hear Jackson complain after he’s handed a volleyball.
He’s on my right and has been partnered up with Lauren Shamrock. She’s captain of the volleyball team and is going to wipe the floor with him. I try to hide my smirk as I take a ball.
To my left is Amber, and across from her is Emerson. Amber's got an irritated scowl on her face and rolls her eyes as Emerson tosses her the ball. I ignore both of them as I focus on Celeste.
“Ready?” I ask, and she nods as she plants her feet and looks determined. “It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Okay, I’m just, um, not very good at sports.”
I lob the ball gently to her, and she catches it easily.
“See, you got this.”
“Whew.” She blows out a relieved breath and rolls the ball in her hands. “Okay, I got this,” she repeats as she tries to psych herself up.
Celeste does the same as me and tosses it underhanded. It’s no problem for me to snag it up, and I nod as we take a step further apart. We go slower than most of the other teams, but I’m not in a rush to put distance between us.
When we’re finally about ten feet apart, I toss the ball, and she has to step out to catch it. She makes the catch and then smiles so brightly I think she’s going to jump up and down. It’s infectious, and I hold my hands up in victory.
She raises the ball to throw it back, and just as she’s about to release it, a basketball comes flying out in front of me and directly at Celeste. I try to step out and block it, but it’s too late, and it smacks her hard right in the nose.
“Shit!” She swears as she grabs her face and falls to the ground.
I turn around, ready to rage on whoever threw that, and Amber is standing there with her hands out and an oops, my bad look on her face. She’s not the least bit sorry.
“What the fuck, Amber!” I shout as I rush over to Celeste.
“Oh my God, she’s bleeding,” Emerson says as he calls for the teacher.
“I’m okay,” Celeste mumbles around her hands, but it’s clear she’s got a bloody nose. It’s not the worst I’ve seen, but she needs to go to the nurse.
“It’s all right. I’ve got you.” I scoop her off the ground and begin to walk out of the room.
“Crew, what’s going on?” Coach Rose asks as he jogs over to the exit.
“Amber busted her nose. I’m taking her to the nurse.” I’m not asking for permission, and I’m not waiting around for it either.
“Good man,” Coach says and pats me on the back.
“I can walk,” Celeste says, but it’s hard to hear her.
“It will be quicker this way.”
“I doubt that.” She rolls her eyes, and I smile.
“Okay.” I stop and look at her. “Tell me, which way do I turn to get to the infirmary?” I raise an eyebrow and wait a beat. “That’s what I thought.”