Page 88 of Running With Lions

Grey doesn’t budge. Her hands are on her hips, and a soccer ball is cradled in the crook of her arm.

“She looks scary.” Willie’s in awe.

“Sheisscary,” Sebastian whispers.

Mason’s sitting cross-legged on the grass with his back to Sebastian, but he’s bug-eyed, slack-jawed, and pale. At least, that’s how Sebastian imagines him.

Grey’s eyes shrink until Sebastian can’t find the green in them.

“Sweet baby Jesus, Mother Mary, and all the freakin’ saints,” says Mason. He chucks his water bottle and scrambles to his feet. His head snaps in Zach’s direction when he and a few others hum “Build Me Up, Buttercup,” and they quickly go quiet. If his iron-stiff shoulders tell anything, Sebastian would conclude that Mason’s pissed, and a little afraid too.

“What’s she gonna do?”

“I don’t know,” Sebastian says to Willie. “But I’m gonna like it.”

“What the hell…” Mason stops short of Grey. “…are youdoing?”

Grey’s lips twitch. She’s not fazed by Mason’s hissing or flailing arms. She has reached hardcore, superhero levels of greatness.

“Grace—”

“I’m done with your bullshit, Riley.”

“Uh, language.” Kyle chortles from three levels below Sebastian, who flings his empty water bottle at the back of Kyle’s head. He’s pleased when Willie chuckles.

“Okay, okay.” Mason raises his hands, palms facing out as if he’s surrendering. “Point taken. You’re a big girl, and I’m—”

“Going to have a scrimmage game with me, right here and now. One-on-one.” Grey spins the soccer on one finger. “First goal wins, and winner calls their prize.”

Mason tosses his arms up like a Muppet and shouts incredulously, “You’re so weird!”

“If I win, we go on a date.”

A couple of catcalls and some wolfish yells of “You go girl” break out from the players. Willie cheers, spirit fingers and all. Yep, this is going to be awesome and bad.

“Have you lost your mind? Your father is—” Mason waves a hand behind him. Leaning forward, elbows on his knees, Coach Patrick is on the bottom bleacher.

Grey clears her throat. “Coach—mydadhas been nothing but supportive of me since I was a kid.” Her voice start to rise. “He’s always made sure I had what I needed, and he tells me all the time to go after what I want, no matter the cost.”

Coach squares his shoulders.

“Guess what I want?”

Mason mumbles, “A lobotomy.”

His bitchiness slides right off her back.She’s evolved into Grey two-point-oh. Sebastian tries not to groan at his own geekiness.

“A date, Riley.”

“Oh, wow, isn’t that romantic,” Mason sneers. He snatches the ball from her. His head tips closer. “But when you lose, you back off. For good. No more heart-eyes, flirting, being all weird. I get the same treatment as the other guys, got it?”

Grey flinches. Then she tightens her mouth, nods, and backs away. She’s actually going for it.

“Fifty bucks says he makes her cry.” Jack chuckles.

Gio rolls his eyes. “Twenty says Coach murders him and dumps the body in the lake.”

Mason and Grey stomp away from each other. Coach O’Brien charges onto the field, blowing his whistle. He lays down the rules. “Keep it clean,” he says, glaring at Mason. Grey’s mouth is drawn in a thin line; her eyes are still narrowed at Mason.

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