Page 36 of The Perfect Hit

“Yeah,” Nate said, slapping the top of my shoulders as he approached from behind. He took a seat next to me and said, “She didn’t get asked to many dances, and one time she asked and the guy was a total jerk.”

I nodded. “She thinks it’s her mission to save the emotions of high school girls since she didn’t have any daughters. If a Buttars boy gets asked, they go.”

“Well, I mean, you haven’t gone to any dances without Hazel since the two of you started hanging out. Didn’t you go to Harvest with her?”

I shook my head. We’d started hanging out a week or two before that dance, but I’d already been asked by another girl in one of my classes for that night.

“Maybe it’s time to move on and just enjoy high school,” I said, the words burning my tongue. I didn’t mean them to be so callous, but this might be a good way to see if Hazel cared about me in the way I did for her.

“That’s bold of you, man.” Nate said it while slapping me on the back.

I frowned at him. “Come on. I’m not that obvious, am I?”

Jake gave me a wide grin. “Colt, you’ve had puppy-dog eyes for her for months.”

“Then why doesn’t she know?” I said it louder than I thought and had to lower my voice. “Like, how can she not tell I like her?”

With a quick shrug, Jake said, “Maybe she’s trying not to notice. Maybe she doesn’t want to mess up things like you haven’t wanted to by making a move.”

I nodded, realizing he probably had a point.

Logan walked over and started hitting the guys. “What’s going on? Oh, pizza. Sweet! This isn’t going to fill us all up, man.”

“He got it from being asked to the spring dance,” Ben said dryly.

“Did Hazel finally come around?” Logan asked, pushing Nate over to sit next to me.

Friends. They were always there for me, even if it meant calling me out on my love life, or lack thereof. I shook my head. “Marcy Johnson asked me.”

“Who’s Marcy Johnson?” Dax asked, slipping a slice of pizza from the box.

“She’s in the—I mean, she’s good friends with Hazel.” Great, in that perspective, was I ruining things?

I’d heard about girls who didn’t date guys their friends had dated, but a dance against my will? I hoped Hazel wouldn’t get too picky if she ever saw me as more than a friend.

I was all over the place emotionally, but I had to make sure Hazel was okay and that I didn’t do anything extra dumb to push her away.

“It might not be the best to go out with one of her friends, man,” Ben said, giving me a sympathetic smile.

“What do I do, then? My mom will make me go with her. And dances don’t count as real dates, right?” I was grasping at straws, hoping to find some strange loophole that wouldn’t keep me from dating Hazel in the future.

“Good luck with that,” Nate said. “Let’s hope Hazel won’t be upset. I mean, you keep saying you’re just friends.” He shrugged. “I need more food. A couple pieces of that pizza will just be a snack.”

Leave it to my friend to help only after a full belly.

24

Hazel

I’d come out of my third-period class only to see a giant poster hung up asking Colt to the dance.

Tears jumped to my eyes, and I ran for the girls’ bathroom, not sure where else to go. I curled up in the extra-large stall, wishing I could figure out what was wrong with me. How did I go from being best friends with someone to full-on crushing on him?

With all the play stuff, I hadn’t even realized there was a dance coming up.

All the emotions flooded me, and I cried even harder, knowing I just needed to keep going, to put on a brave face like I was acting in a normal production. But this was my regular life. This wasn’t just a part I could put on and take off when I wanted to, and I think that was the hardest part of the situation.

After several minutes of emotional overhaul, I stood, dried my tears, and made sure I looked presentable before walking back into the hallway.

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