“Sounds like high school.”

Maggie leans forward. Her eager expression makes me apprehensive. “You know Ben Howard, right?”

“Uh, yeah.” My answer sounds uncertain, even though I’m not unsure about knowing him. I’m wondering where this is possibly going. Probably nowhere I’ll want to follow. “He’s a freshman on the team.”

“We have Ceramics together.”

I’m not sure how to respond to that. “Okay…”

“I like him.”

Maggie’s frankness makes me smile. Mostly because it’s so different from her older sister, who constantly makes me second guess every word she says. “You’re interested in Howard?”

“Yeah. Well, I’d rather date you, but Cassia would hate me.”

I chuckle uncomfortably. She’s not wrong.

Cassia doesn’t think much of me. I’m sure she’d be horrified if I expressed any interest in her younger sister. Plus, Maggie is a freshman. Three and a half years younger than me. In some stages of life, that’s nothing. In high school, it’s a lot.

I’ve also found it hard to focus on anything else when Maggie’s older sister is around since we were kids.

So…there’s that.

“Cassia picks up Regan from dance on Thursdays. We always have to wait around for a little while. Roxbury Diner is right across the street from En’Lair. I’ll tell Cassia I’m hungry, we’ll walk over, and you guys will be there.” Maggie clasps her hands, eyes pleading. “Come on, Holden. Please. It’ll be perfect!”

I’m taken aback by how much thought Maggie has put into this plan. Do all girls go to these extremes?

I’m also surprised by the realization I’m actually considering it. I was named captain this year, more as a testament to my role as the team’s leading scorer than any proclivity toward responsibility on my part. I like winning more than I hate responsibility, I guess.

It would be easy to spin some story for Ben. Tell him it’s team bonding or some shit to get to know the new players.

Annoyance replaces surprise, as I realize I’m considering doing exactly what I just judged Maggie for. If I agree to this, it wouldn’t be as a nice guy doing her a favor just because I can. Or actually getting to know one of the freshman who will likely spend the season riding the bench.

It would be because I want to spend time around Cassia Nolan. And that’s a dangerous compulsion I thought I’d successfully squashed. Apparently not.

I think of sitting across from her in the library on Tuesday. Watching her run the tip of her pen across her lower lip and twirl a curl around one finger.