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a friendly punch on the shoulder. “You’ll stop them in their tracks.”
    “Thanks, man. That means a lot coming from you.” His eyes brightened. “You’re the real superstar, though. We’re lucky to have you on our side. I didn’t see you miss a single catch today.” Ray spoke with a note of admiration. “I know they weren’t all good throws. I don’t know how you always know exactly where the ball’s going to be.” 
    I get uncomfortable when people give me compliments. I know I’m good and I want to be the best I can, but I get self-conscious, worrying I might let someone down when they put me up on a pedestal.
    I switched the focus from me to the team. “I have a good feeling about this year.” I smiled, hoping for another undefeated season. We have a running tally of forty-nine straight wins, zero losses. “It would be great to hang another banner in the school gym to mark State Championship again this year. We have both an unstoppable defense and a great offensive.”
    “You’re absolutely right.” Ray lifted his hand in the air and gave me a high-five. “We’re going to blow the competition out of the water!”
    I noticed Ray wasn’t wearing his usual gym shorts and tank. Instead, he had on khaki shorts and a collared golf shirt. I wondered who he had a date with. “You look good, man.” I punched him on the arm again. “Who’s the lucky girl?” 
    “I wish,” Ray responded. “I’m meeting Tyler and some of the guys to celebrate surviving the first week of two-a-days.” His speech slowed with every word, as if he realized maybe he wasn’t supposed to mention it to me. 
    “So you guys are going out tonight, huh?”
    “Um…yeah...well, I guess I thought Tyler already told you.” He looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet. “We...a bunch of the guys from the team…and some of the cheerleaders too, I think… are going out to Lacey Road to party. Tyler’s cousins from California finally arrived and he wants to introduce them to everyone.”
    Tyler and I were co-captains of the football team, but off the field we didn’t mix much. Ray already looked uncomfortable. I didn’t want to make him feel worse, so I didn’t reveal that I hadn’t been invited. “Yeah, I think I heard Tyler mention it. He’s talked non-stop all week about his cousins moving here.”
    “Yeah, he has.” Ray seemed relieved. “Maybe I’ll catch you later then.”
    “Later,” I returned as I climbed into Old Faithful.

Chapter Three
    Mike
    We’d finished eating barbecue and all the accompanying side dishes at my aunt’s house, and now it was time to clean up. I grimaced as I carried in the leftover ears of corn and placed them on the counter.
    “Mike, Emma, will you be dears and get towels out of the second drawer over there and dry the dishes please?” Aunt Carol directed.  She was busy, transferring the leftovers into plastic containers, while Mom washed the dishes at the big farm sink.
    “Sure,” Emma and I said in unison. I tossed my sister a towel, and after what seemed like an eternity, the dishes were all dried. I wondered why my aunt never owned a dishwasher.  I was about to suggest she get one, when Tyler and Austin entered the kitchen. 
    “Perfect timing, huh, bro?” Tyler chuckled, looking around the now clean kitchen. “Hey Mike, Emma, are you ready? It’s time to go. I told everyone we’d meet them at nine.” Tyler looked at the clock on the wall. He grabbed his keys off the hook by the back door and tossed them from one hand to the other. “I don’t want to keep everyone waiting.”
    I hated when guys thought just because they were guys they didn’t have to help around the house. My dad always helped out in the kitchen. Every weekend he made us a big breakfast: eggs over easy, with just the right amount of runny egg yolk, and maple flavored sausage, browned to perfection. Just thinking about it made me hungry again. I wished he was here to whip me up some right