That might be too much information too soon, but I’m just too tired to care.

“Your mom left you?” His eyes widen after he asks and he starts waving his hands in apology, but I stop him.

“It’s okay. Yeah, she did. Last year. She gave up her Broadway dance dreams to follow my dad to Houston for his NBA career. But then he fractured his pelvis and that ended that. That was a year before I was born, and I guess my mom stuck around because she thought eventually I could carry out her legacy for her.” Too bad I can’t find a beat to save my soul, but I can drive a soccer ball down a field with precision.

I knew my mom and dad fought constantly about her lost dreams because they never bothered to keep their voices down, but I never thought she’d leave us. Or maybe I did, but I thought maybe she’d take me with her, or at least say goodbye. She left like a thief in the night, and I haven’t heard from her since. When she left, Dad started putting the pressure on me to practice harder. I think he thinks that if I become a soccer star my mom wouldn’t feel like she wasted her time birthing me and she’d come back. Wishful thinking on both of our parts.

“Sorry,” I blurt out. “That got too heavy. You just met me and I’m telling you my life story. I swear I’m not a weirdo or anything.”

His chestnut-brown eyes bore into me with such intensity that my step falters. I’ve never had a boy look at me like this before, but I don’t think I want him to stop.

“Nah. I don’t think it’s weird at all. I think your mom’s missing out.”

“On what?”

“On you.”

I wipe sweat from my brow that wasn’t there a moment ago.

We continue standing in my front yard just talking. I learn that he’s my age and we’ll be going to the same school this year. He’s got a younger sister, and they live with his mom and dad but visit his grandmom a lot. It feels like a long time goes by in his company and yet not enough.

My eyes start darting from Kai to the street, searching for my dad’s car. He should be home from the store soon, and he’ll lose it if he sees me socializing instead of practicing.

I try to think of a nice way to get Kai to leave, but before I get a chance, a cute little girl with bone-straight hair bounces out of his house and waves her hands at us.

“Kai! Mom said it’s time to come eat!” She darts across the street, and I hear him softly scold her for not looking both ways before crossing. She ignores him and grabs his hand but stops to look at me. “Who are you?”

“I’m your new neighbor, Olivia.”

“Hi Olivia, I’m Kylie. I hope you’ll be my new friend. I’m tired of hanging out with my brother.”