Winning Pass - A Football Romance Read Online Free Page A

spy, which makes sense, because his dad isn’t around and he doesn’t really talk about him that much. But instead, he tells me he has dyslexia. I know what that is because I read a lot, so I am quiet. I would be so sad if I couldn’t read right.
    He’s failing his classes because his mom doesn’t know how to help him learn and has to work so much. So I take the long way back home on my bike so I can go to the library first. I borrow every book I can find about dyslexia and read as much as I can over the weekend. When Monday comes, I’m ready.
    We work for weeks, and finally, Elijah is able to work through reading on his own. He gives me a big hug and tells me I’m his best friend and I can’t leave him because he needs me too much. I don’t tell him this, but I need him too. Jessie doesn’t always bother me when he’s around, and that makes stuff so much easier.
    The summer is finally here, and we leave elementary school for good. I used to be scared about seventh grade and middle school, but I know Elijah will still be there, so I don’t worry too much any more.
    Elijah comes to my house one night, and we swing on our ugly front porch swing, drinking the warm sodas he brought from his house. I know something big is about to happen, because Elijah keeps touching my leg with his, and it’s making me shake like I’m cold, and I’m bouncing around on my toes, even though I can’t reach the porch floor very well.
    We’ve grown so much just in the last few months since we’ve been best friends. Elijah is super tall, like the tallest kid ever. He said he’s 5’7”, which is crazy because I’m only 5’0”. But it’s nice, because I like the way he looks down at me to smile.
    Elijah kisses me, but he accidentally knocks into my teeth too hard because I was getting ready to ask him what he was doing. Then I get it. And I kiss him the next time, exactly three seconds later. It’s kind of awesome, and I keep feeling hot in my cheeks and pushing my stupid red hair back. I know my whole face is the same color as my freckles.
    But Elijah just smiles down at me like he’s just learned his favorite rock star is coming to town and playing a concert just for him.
    It’s funny because that was the beginning of the summer. We meet in the park a lot, sometimes just to ride bikes and sometimes to walk around without everyone spying on us. My mama and Stacey both bug me so bad. Stacey calls Elijah my boyfriend, and even though I sort of like it, it’s super embarrassing.
    His mom is really nice and always hugs me and calls me Reba because my hair is the same color as her favorite country singer. But she makes the best cookies when she’s around and lets us have soda, so I’m definitely okay with it.
    Every now and then, Elijah sneaks up on me with another kiss on my cheek or grabs my hand and swings it up high and back down, laughing. I think it makes him happy to be close to me.
    We talk a lot about the ways that I can get Jessie back next year. He jokes and says I should stuff my bra with balloons full of chocolate pudding so Jessie thinks I grew a pair of boobs over the summer. I blush so hard because Elijah just talked about my bra and said boobs. It’s so weird, but I smile so big when he winks at me and holds his hands way out in front of his chest.
    I walk down to Elijah’s with The Secret Garden in my hand, ready for our lesson for the day. He’s not answering the door. I knock harder, but instead of Elijah, some old man opens the door looking like he just swallowed something hot. His face is red and his eyes look bloodshot. Is this guy what a drunk person looks like?
    “Are you Paige?” he asks me. I tell him yes, and he lets me go inside Elijah’s house. But Elijah isn’t home, and now I’m in the house, maybe by myself, with a strange man.
    “I’m Nathan, his father.” His words don’t make sense because I know Elijah’s dad isn’t around. He lives in Texas. I try to walk backward and ask him