Crossing The Line

's

ur laptop like that, it's going

rips with amusement, and if I make eye

fingers hovering uselessly over

aybe if you stare long enough, i

nd grab the nearest pillow. Lila ducks just in tim

e impo

on her bed. "And you're avoiding. Big

hether to admit it, but Lila's my be

. "I've been assigned to cover Crescent

so dramatically you'd think I told

," I say

she's about to burst into

Definite

e best seat in the house. Interviews, game passes,

s. I do features, profiles, human-interest stuff. Not s

ery attractive guys. A

e." I point a

idens. "Et

campus practically faints when he breathes in their direction. He

this isn't the beginning of

d hurl it at her. She laug

s journalism. Objective reporting. No

nconvinced. "What did

! You're going to love this assignment. Big games, star players, drama, rivalries-thin

your dad," L

es. "He wants my first piece on his desk by Friday. And he speci

chief. "Tomorrow is going to

ng to be the wor

s an opportunity. Everyone already knows you can write, but if you nail this, you p

hat she'

nd after that, it was just me, Dad, and the game. Plays, stats, and recruits-basketball was everything. By the time I hit hi

sport. Sure, I understood it-I couldn't escape

part of me that desperately want

do it. But if Ethan Cole throws a basketball at

something tells me you'll come back ranting a

head back dramaticall

"And you lov

-

ing, I regret

ll of polished hardwood and faint sweat hits me as soon as I step inside, trigger

ping rhythmically. My dad is at the sideline, barking orders, and for a second, I'm

rip on my bag. I'm not twelve anymore. I

yno

bleachers. He's wearing his signature too-big gla

ct. Ethan's wrapping up. You'l

art s

my face because he grins. "

t the word I'd

emple. Up close, he's even taller than I realized-broad shoulders, confident

like a shield, and his grin widens. "Coach's da

th. "Ava. My

eady knows exactly how much he's getting under my skin.

n answer questions without y

s. Then he laughs, low and easy, li

s is going to b

twists-no

le feeling that "fun" is the last word