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buddy, I don’t want to, you know, crush your hopes and dreams but… She’s untouchable. Literally ,” he added with implication.
    “How do you know her?”
    “I don’t, really. But a friend of mine went to school with her. We saw her at Zero once, and, like you, I thought she was pretty hot.”
              “She turned you down!” I laughed.
    He s coffed. “ No . Well, yeah, but that’s not the point . That’s because she’s —”
    I started to walk toward the dugout to gather my gear. “Yes, it is the point. You’re just bitter. ”
    “No,” he said, catching up to me. “She’s a stuck up snob. ”
    “I don’t want to hear it. You were turned down. That means I throw your judgment completely out the window. You can’t be impartial.”
    “What are you guys yakking about?” Jack wanted to know .
    “He thinks he’s got a chance with Jayden Adams,” Aaron laughed.
    Jack looked at me with raised eyebrows and studied me carefully. “Jayden? She’s pretty cool , actually . R eally nice.”
    I turned to Aaro n and said, “Ha! See? His opinion counts; yours does not.”
    “Okay,” he shook his head. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He took his bag and left, turning around to smile and shake his head one last time at my stupidity .
    Jack looked at me again and asked, “How do you know Jayden?”
    “I don’t. I was just wondering who she was,” I replied, nodding toward the stands. “How do you know her?”
    “Oh, since my fresh man year here. She was a junior .”
    She was two years older than me? I wasn’t too keen on that. “So she graduated two years ago?” I asked reluctantly .
    “Yeah, but she’s our same age. She finished two years while she was still in high school, and then completed her bachelor’s after that.”
              “You can do that?” I asked. I had no idea.
    “Yeah, it’s a special program you can apply for. But you have to be either super genius , or super driven.”
              “And which is she?”
    He laughed. “Both, I think. And she’s not a snob like Aaron convinces himself she is. She just plays a defensive game. I was her lab partner for half a year and I think every guy in that class tried to get a date with her. ”
    “Even you?” I teased.
    “No,” he chuckled. “I was already dating Megan. But…even though she’s really nice, I have to agree with Aaron. I don’t know, Ty. You might have a chance because you’re a nice guy, but I hear she just doesn’t date many guys. And if she does, she’s got quite a lengthy checklist, if you know what I mean.”
    “So what are you saying the odds are?”
    “Mmm, one in a million .” He gave me a sympathetic smile and walked away.
    Yikes. P retty bad. But it was just as well, I figured. She’d barely get down her list before she realized I was not the ideal catch. Besides, I had way too many problems in my life to have time for a girlfriend. It was the same thing, every time. I just couldn’t get close to anyone. There were too many skeletons in the closet for most girls to deal with.
    I was one o f the last guys left in the dug out besides two of the coaches who were talking to each other at home plate. I stepped out to head for the batting barn with my gear, but was thrown when I saw that girl standing by the railing with her friend. I was about to pass right by her , ready to avoid her entirely, when she turned my way and smiled.
    “ Nice game , catcher.”
    I slowed my pace an d barely got out a , “T hank you.”
    My previous thoughts flew out the window just from the sound of her voice. I knew this was my chance to talk to her, b ut I was completely caught off-guard. My stupid mouth wouldn’t say anything else, and I knew I was going to ruin it for myself. Luckily h er friend hollered at someone in the stands and she left to go talk to her ; I was hoping that would help build my courage .
    “It’s Tyler, right?” the girl asked