Free Remembrance (The Transcend Time Saga) by Michelle Madow

not waiting for me to answer before continuing. “We’re gonna beat Derryfield so badly that they won’t know what hit them.”
    I closed my sketchbook, figuring I would fix the drawing later. “I’m guessing practice went well?” I asked. I hoped it did—Manchester Prep slaughtered them in a game two weeks earlier, and Jeremy was still waiting for Beech Tree’s first win with him as co-captain.
    He walked towards me and held out a hand to help me get up. “That’s an understatement,” he said, his blue eyes flashing with excitement. “They don’t stand a chance.”
    “Awesome,” I said, shuffling my feet to stand. “I also kind of wanted to talk to you about something. We haven’t spent much time together just the two of us in a while, and our three-year anniversary is coming up on Sunday. I was thinking we could do something to celebrate?”
    A smiled crept onto his face. “How does Alfonzo’s on the Lake sound?” he asked. “I’ve already made reservations, so I hope it’s okay.”
    I widened my eyes at the mention of my favorite restaurant. “You really thought to make them before I asked?”
    “Of course.” His eyes filled with intensity, and he pulled me closer, pressing his lips against mine. A drop of sweat trickled from his hair onto the bridge of my nose. “I’ve missed you, Liz,” he said, his breath hot against my face. 
    “Jere,” I said, spotting some freshmen watching us through the glass door. “We’re in the library.”
    “Let’s go back to my place then.”
    “Aren’t your parents home?” I asked, glad to have the excuse.
    He rested his forehead against mine, his sweaty hair matting onto my skin. “So what if they are?”
    “I just don’t think it’s the right time.”
    He slammed his hand against the wall, and I jumped at the sound. “It’s never the right time,” he said, leaning back to look at me. “Geez, Liz. You need to lighten up.”  
    I ducked under his arm, grabbing my backpack from its resting spot next to the beanbag. “Just drop me off at home,” I told him. “I’ve got a lot of homework.”
    “You always have a lot of homework.”
    I crossed my arms over my chest. “Now you’re mad because I care about doing well in school?”
    “I’m not mad,” he said, walking past me to yank open the door. “Let’s just go.”
    “Sounds fine to me.” I stomped after him, glaring when he turned his back to me.
    Both of us remained silent on the walk to his car, and we didn’t speak for the entire first half of the drive.
    “Shannon, Amber, and Keelie want to go to the soccer game with you tomorrow,” he finally broke the silence.
    I looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “They want to go to the game with me?” I repeated, making sure I’d heard him correctly.
    “I mentioned it and they didn’t seem to not want to go with you.”
    “I’m sure it’ll be a blast.” I rolled my eyes. “You know how much I love Shannon’s company.”
    “Her friend Amber’s not that bad.”
    “Only because she’s had a crush on you for a year,” I pointed out. “So she’s nice to you. Not so much to me.”
    “She’s jealous of you.”
    I looked at him like he was crazy. “Maybe.” 
    “Of course she is.” He snickered. “You’ve got me.”
    “Right,” I said, not wanting to inflate Jeremy’s ego any more by continuing the conversation.
    “Anyway,” he said, trying to change the subject. “I gave Shannon your number. She said she’ll give you a call tomorrow to let you know when to meet up, or whatever it is you girls do before the game.”
    “Great,” I said, glad when we reached my house. The gabled windows with open gray shutters welcomed me home, and I couldn’t wait to relax after the exhausting week. Maybe I could “forget” to charge my phone and miss Shannon’s call. However, that would mean missing the game, and even though things weren’t great between Jeremy and me, I still needed to be there to support