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I toss my phone in my cubby as Brookes couess this "

"About?"

"Nell That’s who you were texting, right?"

I shrug Because Nell and I haven’t really talked about hoe’re going to play this with everyone else She’d had a big project due today that she spent last orking on, and I’d been gearing up for the game, so we’d only seen each other a couple ti, how do you know this shit? It’s fucking creepy, man"

He smiles "I pay attention"

"To what? My Internet history? Do you havemy room?"

"To your face, bro It’s all there When I mentioned her name, you reacted for a split second, and then iht"

"Why are you here playing football instead of working in the CIA or soe"

I laugh And le hi into existence a few years ago

"Seriously, though," he says "I’"

"Me or her?"

"The two of you together You didn’t oing on with you twoit’s good I can tell"

"You’re like some weird version of The Wizard of Oz, aren’t you? There’s so on us all with video ca you what to say Or you’re secretly a robot or an alien or so"

He raises an eyebrow "What kind of messed-up Wizard of Oz did you watch as a kid?"

"You two," Coach Oz barks as passes by us "Quit gabbing like a bunch of little girls, and get on the field"

We finish changing clothes quickly as Oz leaves, and when the door slaet laid Dude scares ets like that" Brookes makes a noncommittal noise "I’m serious Look at Coach Cole Guy is still scary as fuck, but since he’s been dating that dance professor chick? Way cooler"

The silence after ht behind lare, and the prick doesn’t even bother hiding his grin I spin There aren’t many people in the world who can hly the saht, but the dude has Hulk shoulders and a beard that just screams, "I could kick your ass"