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good, back in middle school anyway.”
    “Well, you could clean his clock now, Ramie.”
    I laugh. “Yeah, right.”
    To my relief, we talk about basketball and my possibilities with Mitch during the rest of the short drive to church.
    “Do you think Mitch will be here tonight?” BJ asks as we walk toward the lit-up youth building.
    “I wouldn’t have the slightest clue,” I tell her. And that’s the truth. I mean, despite the fact that Mitch’s dad is the senior pastor here (a fact I still can’t completely wrap my mind around), Mitch has been pretty random when it comes to going to youth group or camps or anything. I mean, I’m sure he must be a Christian and everything. But he’s just never been that into the youth activities.
    When we get inside the building, I’m pleasantly surprised to see that Mitch is actually here. He’s leaning against the doorframe and talking to Nathan Gallagher, our youth pastor.
    “Hey, Ramie,” Mitch says to me as we pause by the door. “Hey, BJ. What’s up?”
    I smile at him. “Not much.”
    “These girls have been looking really hot out there on the basketball court lately,” he says to Nathan.
    “Basketball?” asks Nathan with interest.
    “Yeah,” says BJ. “Games don’t start until after Christmas.”
    “And I thought you were just into volleyball and soccer, Ramie.”
    “It’s a way to keep in shape,” I tell him.
    “Well, she’s doing way more than that,” says Mitch. “The girls’ varsity team has some real potential.”
    I shrug. “We’re okay.”
    Then Mitch gives me a playful punch in the arm. “Ramie’s too humble. you should see her. She’s a star.”
    I roll my eyes at him. “I’m okay.” I nod toward BJ. “But you should see this girl on defense. Our team wouldn’t have a chance if she didn’t get in there and steal the ball the way she does.”
    “And Jess is a force to be reckoned with too,” adds BJ.
    “Hey, where
is
our Jess tonight?” asks Nathan, glancing over our shoulders like he expects her to pop in right behind us. Of course, this sends a chill down my spine. Really, the last person I want to see right now is Jessica LeCroix. And if it wasn’t wrong (and I’m not even totally sure that it
is
wrong), I would pray to God right now; I would beg him to keep Jess away. At least for tonight. I’m just not ready to see her again. Not yet.
Please, God! Have mercy.
    “I’m not sure where she is,” I say.
    Then we chat a little more about the future of Greenville High’s girls’ varsity basketball team.
    “Women’s sports have come a long way since I was in high school,” admits Nathan. “Of course, that was back in the dark ages.”
    We all laugh, but I’m reminded that despite Nathan’s hip haircut and sideburns, he’s almost as old as my mom.
    “But they actually take you girls seriously now,” he continues. “Back in my day, girls’ sports were more for losers.”
    BJ laughs. “Well, they still don’t take us as seriously as they do the guys’ sports. They still get top billing, better uniforms, and the best game schedules.”
    “But that’s just because of the old bottom line,” I add. “Their games are the ones that bring in the big bucks.”
    Mitch winks at me. “Well, I’ll be coming to the women’s basketball games. you can count on that.”
    I smile at him. And then I wonder about what BJ said earlier tonight. Is it possible that Mitch might really be into me? And, if so, wouldn’t that be the perfect escape from this dilemma with Jess and her questionable sexual orientation? Plus, it would be the perfect way to show people that I’m not like her, that just because I was once her best friend doesn’t mean I’m a lesbian too. I can feel theheat on my face just thinking this. Just the idea that this skanky news will be out in the open soon, at least I assume it will, makes me feel sick all over again.
    I try to push these disturbing thoughts away from my mind as the music starts up. We