face, and saw Lucas and Jason standing over them.
?We saw you go down so we ran over to check it out,? Lucas said,
ignoring Claire?s question.
?Thanks. She is pretty ferocious,? Helen replied, allowing Claire
to flip her over one more time before Lucas helped her up.
?Five feet and two inches of pure terror,? Claire boasted as she
held out her hand, expecting Jason to help her. He folded his arms
across his chest deliberately.
?Is that how tall you are without those ridiculous shoes?? he said
derisively. ?I think I was born bigger than that.?
?I bet you were. Five feet of fat head and two inches of ass,?
Claire muttered, standing up.
?Claire!? Helen blurted out, shocked. Lucas?s shoulders were
shaking with laughter. Jason pretended to take the joke okay, but
Helen suspected his feelings were hurt.
Helen bit back her own laughter and gave Claire a little pinch as
punishment. Claire yelped in protest, pointing out that monkey
bites had been off-limits since they were ten, and was about to say
142/395
something else to Jason when the Delos boys were called back to
practice by their coach.
Helen watched as Lucas jogged back to the football field. Running
in the sun, he was about the most beautiful thing she?d ever
seen.
?Crap. We?re late,? Claire said, and they picked up their pace to
catch up with their teammates, having to run up to the trailhead
where Coach Tar was waiting with her clipboard. She was already
shouting out start times, so Helen and Claire just kept running,
calling back to their coach as they crossed over the line. Coach
scribbled their times down, shaking her head.