My heart picked up the pace as I watched Demitri on the field. He was so beautiful and warm, from his mahogany brown skin to his chestnut eyes, and his smile belonged in a toothpaste commercial. From across the field, I heard him laugh, and I wanted to wrap myself up in the sound.

Demitri was just…perfect to me.

Practice ended, and I watched for a bit as the guys headed inside, savoring every minute I got to admire Demitri from afar without looking like a creep. Still, I didn’t want to wait for too long. Kamari wouldn’t leave me without telling me, but he’d give me crap if I held him up.

I picked up my bag and hurried to the stairs, but I didn’t see the stupid strap dangling down by my feet. I made it until the very last step, then I felt a tug, and the world tilted on its axis.

I went down hard, barely managing to catch myself on my hands before eating dirt. My bag went flying somewhere to the side, and the flutter of papers all around me let me know that it decided to open and spew my stuff everywhere.

I picked myself up gingerly, hoping against hope that no one had noticed—but then I looked up and saw every eye on the field turned in my direction. Mortification seared through me, and I dropped my eyes. Please, please, why does the ground never open up and swallow me whole when I need it?!

A hand reached out in front of my face. “You okay?”

Without thinking, I accepted the hand—and found myself looking into the warmest brown eyes I’d ever seen.

“Demitri,” I breathed. This day officially could not get any worse.

“Hey, Lu,” he said with an easy smile that made my heart trip.

He pulled me to my feet, and even as some part of me squealed, He’s holding my hand! the rest of me was just embarrassed. I’d always wanted him to notice me, but not like this!

I scrambled to pick up my stuff, and to my surprise, he stayed to help. Actually, I shouldn’t be surprised because he was so sweet and thoughtful and was always helping my mom around the house even when she didn’t ask, so I should’ve known. It didn’t have anything to do with me. It was just who he was; he’d do it for anyone.

Demitri picked up one of my books—the one I was currently reading for fun, not for school—and grinned. “This is such a great book,” he said, handing it back to me. “What do you think of it?”

I almost dropped the book again I was so surprised. This book was a swashbuckling, magical, romantic adventure. And he was the quarterback. I knew he wasn’t a stereotypical jock or anything, but he’d read this book?

Oh my god, finally, something I can actually talk to Demitri about!

But when I opened my mouth, only gibberish came out. “I… It’s… The characters…”

His smile turned bemused, then faltered, and I felt a hot rush of shame swallow me.

“Um…yeah, the characters are obviously the best part,” he said awkwardly.

I rallied, determined to say something even moderately intelligent, but then one of the guys called Demitri’s name.

“Stop lording over your groupies and get in the huddle,” he called, to a chorus of laughter, and I cringed. Was that what I looked like to them? A football groupie?

Demitri rolled his eyes but turned back to me. “You’re okay, though, right? Didn’t hurt yourself falling?” he double-checked.

Not trusting my stupid mouth to not mess it up, I nodded mutely. His smile lit up my soul even as he started backing away.

“Good. I couldn’t let anything happen to you,” he said, and I absolutely died. Was I dreaming? I had to be dreaming. He did not just say that. But then he added with a laugh, “Kamari would kill me.”

Then he turned and jogged off.

I sighed. I should have known. No way anyone that gorgeous and kind and sweet and perfect would actually care about me for me. To Demitri, I’d always just be “Lu,” his best friend’s little sister. We were only a year apart, but it could’ve been a decade for all the interest he had in me.

And if that wasn’t true before, after my spectacular fall down the bleachers, it definitely was now.