Free Falling From the Sky by Nikki Godwin Page B

really cool eyes,” he says.
    Was that supposed to be a pick up line? Let’s rewind back to the holiday talk instead.
    “What?” I ask.
    “Like, you know, you have cat eyes,” Micah says, staring into my soul.
    “Cat eyes?”
    “No, not really.”
    I’m confused. And a little creeped out. He buries his face into his hands, and I can tell he’s embarrassed. I don’t know if it all just came out wrong or that was his failed attempt at hitting on me.
    “They’re really green,” he says. “Obviously you know what color your eyes are. It’s just, like, everyone here is the same. We don’t have blue eyes or green eyes or gray eyes. We’re all just black-haired, brown-eyed people, and you just…have cool eyes.”
    He gets up from the table and puts his plate in the sink.
    “Forget it. I’m stupid for saying all that,” he says, almost in a panic. “Just stick your plate in the sink when you’re done. I’m going to go hook up the Xbox.”
     
    We master level five tonight. And level six. And level seven. We don’t talk about my eyes or Zoey’s secret recipe or blue rock candy. In fact, we don’t talk about anything but zombies and brains. I decide to go back to camp, even though I told everyone I was going home for the weekend. Fuck it. If they see me there, I’ll just lie again. I can’t stay here tonight.
    Once I’m back at camp, I hurry across the parking lot even though I see an airplane flickering in the night sky. I can walk and pray at the same time. But even the airplane doesn’t faze me like it normally does.
    All I can think about is whether Taylor had green cat eyes. I wonder if Micah was mesmerized by him or if Micah finds me more attractive than Taylor. The fact that I’m thinking all of this bothers me.
    The fact that I want to be above Taylor bothers me even more.
     

CHAPTER SEVEN
    “Three!” The ball swishes through the net yet again as Zach announces his own tiny victory. Aaron tosses the ball back over to him, and Zach dribbles the ball between his legs before beginning his next loud speaker imitation.
    “Five seconds on the clock...Perry has the ball,” he hollers out.
    He bounces it between his legs and does that left-right sway that only Terrence can pull off and still look cool. He opens his big mouth again, another thing he can’t pull off.
    “He can pass the ball to Ridge McCoy, who is in the perfect position for an easy lay-up, or he can go for the win with one of his flawless three point shots!” Zach shouts.
    I really wish someone would put me out of my misery. The ball swirls around the rim and sinks through the net. I anticipate his victory strut before he actually does it.
    “That’s how it’s done, McCoy. That’s how it’s done,” he brags. He parades across the gym floor and picks up the basketball. He chucks it toward me before grabbing his gym bag and leaving.
    Walking away is about the only thing he can do right. Aaron laughs and mutters something about Zach being a cocky jackass, but he smiles afterward, so I don’t think he truly means it. I wish I’d just gone back to the room after practice. I don’t know how I got suckered into shooting hoops with them.
    I scroll through my texts while I rehydrate.
    “So who is she?” Aaron asks from across the court.
    I look up from my cell phone. “Who are you talking about?”
    “The girl,” he says, nodding toward my hand. “You start stalking your messages every time you take a water break. I know it’s not your girlfriend, so who is she?”
    Micah’s text about our next horse lights up my cell phone’s screen. I exit out of it and watch my phone to verify it locks itself.
    “It’s no one,” I say. I grab the basketball off the floor and dribble it, hoping he’ll take the cue and drop the subject.
    Instead, Aaron throws his head back. “Give me something, McCoy! Is she hot? Does she have any hot friends?”
    “What about Katelyn? Isn’t she your summer fling or whatever?” I arc my arm back