Free Remembrance (The Transcend Time Saga) by Michelle Madow Page B

so all I had to do was nod and laugh at the appropriate moments. The conversation revolved around hoping the guys would win the game, and Shannon and Amber arguing over which team members were the most attractive. Shannon insisted it was Warren, but Amber disagreed. She wasn’t the least bit hesitant in sharing her opinion that Jeremy was the best catch of them all.  
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 10
     
     
    A group of freshmen clustered in the front of the bleachers, so Amber led the way up to the third row, making sure to pick a spot in the center for prime viewing of the field. Keelie, Shannon, and I followed her in, and once seated, I looked behind me to see if Chelsea and Drew had arrived yet. There was no sign of them. Not wanting to think of the reasons why they could be late, I wondered if they’d changed their plans.
    At least not having to see them together would be one less thing to worry about during the game.
    We stood up when the players entered the field, and Shannon and Amber cheered and clapped until I thought they would permanently damage their vocal chords. Keelie was calmer than the two of them. She reminded me a bit of myself, and even though I didn’t know her very well, I thought there was a chance we could be friends.
    A breeze blew through the air, and I wrapped my arms around myself to stay warm, unsurprised that the thin shirt I’d thrown on while leaving didn’t guard my arms from the brisk October weather. I regretted changing out of my comfortable sweatshirt. Then music blared through the speakers, signaling Jeremy and Warren to lead the team across the field. Jeremy had a huge smile on his face, and he scanned the bleachers, waving when he spotted me.
    “Jeremy looks good,” Amber said, taking a sip of her diet soda.
    “He does,” I agreed, reminding myself that Jeremy had no interest in her. She was just trying to get a reaction out of me. And I wasn’t going to give her one.
    The crowd quieted as the game began, and everyone took their seats. Only one goal was scored by well into the second half, and the point went to Derryfield, causing the crowd to groan in disappointment. Nothing else happened for a while after that. Soccer had to be the most boring, slowest game ever. It would be much more interesting if every so often, the ball spontaneously exploded.
    I missed sitting in the back with Chelsea, the two of us talking about everything from what colleges we wanted to look at to her boyfriend of the month. Unfortunately, this month it was Drew. Hearing her talk about him made me upset, and I couldn’t help but wonder what it was that I did to make him dislike me so much. 
    Before I could contemplate the reason behind Drew’s sudden change in attitude, the crowd erupted into cheers, and I clapped my hands in the pretense that I was paying attention. “What happened?” I asked Shannon, since she sat on my right. 
    “Warren scored a goal,” she said in annoyance, returning her attention to the field after speaking.
    Leaning back in my seat, I watched Jeremy on the field, since the whole point of my being there was to support him and the team. The scoreboard changed to read 1-1, and the crowd calmed down as the game continued.
    “So,” Keelie said, resting her elbows on her knees and leaning forward. “Do you know what you’re wearing to the Halloween dance?”
    “I’m not sure,” I replied, rubbing my arms with my hands as another chill swept through the air. “I have an idea for the mask, but haven’t thought about the dress yet.”
    “That’s okay,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ears. “I’m going shopping for mine next Saturday. Shannon and Amber already have their dresses, so you can come with me if you want.” 
    “Alright,” I said, smiling at the unexpected invitation.
    I was about to ask if Chelsea could join us and considered asking about Hannah as well, but Shannon interrupted the conversation before I