Seventeen Again: This Time, I Win

as request a lab partne

o longer just awkward, it was

lar: the National

g he' d "forgotten" to submit my forms after I' d asked him to help

yself, triple-checking deadlines,

ng me snacks, and deflecting any attem

tournament, my phon

playing some pick-up basketball, and I think I really messed up my ankle. It' s swelling up

he' d used last time, the one that had made

washed over me, quick

," I said, my voice

Sarah, I' m in s

tomorrow morning, Kevin. I' ve been pre

ying some stupid competition is more

tion was al

gency, Kevin. Or one of your

ore he could

l feeling calm and prepared. I aced the writte

, leaning heavily on a crutch that looked suspiciously

his voice dripping with false sincerity, sca

ally needed a friend, someone I' ve known my whole life, to help me

ct, letting the murmurs rip

iends are, you know? Some people are just c

y at me, expectin

ze, my expre

my way, some with pit

ant to wound and isolate, bounced

d a tournament to win, and a

hollow, because I knew the tru