The Color Of Grace Read Online Free

lit up his entire
face. Pointing, he called from the floor, “Change your name yet?”
    Before I could answer or even react, two of his teammates
appeared and held down their hands. Ryder accepted one from each boy and let
them tug him to his feet. As he became vertical, his eyes sought mine. He
winked before turning away and trotting to the free throw line for his foul
shots. There, he made his first basket but missed the next. His teammates
passed by, congratulating him and slapping him on the back as they hurried toward
the other end of the court.
    From that point on, I decided it’d be safer to take my pictures
from the stands. I returned to Bridget, who’d obviously witnessed my second
round with Ryder Yates.
    “What’d he say this time?” she had to know as soon as I
plopped down next to her. I told her, and she gasped. “So, how’d you answer?”
    I sighed, hoping she’d presume I had grown bored with the
subject and leave me alone.
    No such luck.
    “Did you tell him your name?”
    I shook my head. “I didn’t have time. His teammates came and
swept him away before I could say anything.” Not that I would’ve been able to
respond. If given enough time, I probably would’ve tucked my tail between my
legs and booked it out of there. Again.
    Bridget must’ve realized this too. She moaned as if supremely
let down. “Grace.” Even the two-syllable way she said my name sounded
disappointed. “You’re going to have to have to talk to someone from that school
soon. They’re going to be your fellow classmates, you know. I can’t stand the
thought of you going over there all by yourself and having no friends.”
    My shoulders slumped. Great, she had to bring out the big
guns to make me feel guilty, didn’t she?
    “I will, I will,” I promised her. “But not tonight. Tonight,
I’m still a Hillsburg student and a Hillsburg fan. And I refuse to consort with
the enemy.”
    There. That sounded good. Or so I thought. From the look on
Bridget’s face, I could tell she saw straight through my excuse. She pursed her
lips and squinted her eyes, eyeing me with a critical once over that saw more
than I felt comfortable revealing.
    But instead of pressing the issue, she said, “Fine. But I’m
onto you. If they make you miserable, I’m going to…I’m going to…” She sighed. I
think we both realized it was an empty threat. She could do nothing to protect
me once I left.
    Though she had nothing to back her warning, I grinned and
threw an arm over her shoulder, touched by her concern. “Thanks,” I said.
“You’re the best friend ever.”
    * * * *
    Southeast won the ball game. Big shocker, huh? Yeah, I
wasn’t too amazed either. But the visitors’ section went wild with applause. I
guess this had been their biggest victory spread yet. Of course, even I had to
admit beating us seventy-six to twenty-three was impressive.
    Sighing out a depressed puff of air, I
packed my camera away and followed Bridget down the stands to the floor. We
waited behind a thick horde of people, shifting a foot forward every few seconds
as the glacier-slow crowd inched toward the exit.
    Beside me, Bridge chattered about school, classes, and assignments.
I didn’t pay much attention, lost in thought over how it was all about to end.
This had been my last time to cheer as a Hillsburg Viking, my last week of
school with students I’d known since kindergarten.
    Soon, it’d all be different.
    “Get any good pictures?”
    The question came from behind me, spoken in a voice I’d only
heard twice but knew I wouldn’t soon forget.
    I tensed and stumbled a step, shooting a panicked, help-me
flinch toward Bridget. Then I pulled in a breath and glanced over my shoulder.
    Still dressed in his purple and white jersey with the number
forty-two branded across his chest, Ryder Yates grinned. Sweat made his face
glow and his eyes sparkle with vitality.
    I arched a brow, thinking that might make me look as
confident as I wanted to feel.