When the Stars Fall (Lost Stars #1) - Emery Rose Page 0,3

math.

“You’re nine months younger than me and thirteen months younger than Brody.”

Like that made them so superior. It didn’t. They were both going into fourth grade, just like me.

Gideon was six and all he wanted to do was go inside and watch movies, but his parents said he wasn’t allowed. So he was sulking. Jesse, the baby of the family, was four and all kinds of adorable. He was cute and funny and had us laughing at the goofy things he said.

Now we’d all finished eating—except for Brody who was on his third helping of strawberry shortcake—and the adults told us to go off and play. Brody wanted to ride the horses but we weren’t allowed to do that without adult supervision so we had to come up with our own fun. Which was how we’d ended up in the field behind the house playing football.

“You won’t be able to catch it,” Jude the know-it-all said.

“Brody just caught it. I can too.” I eyed Brody. He was a lot smaller than Jude and kind of scrawny. He had knobby knees and sharp elbows and dark blond hair. Even though he had the same last name, Brody didn’t look like the rest of the blue-eyed, brown-haired McCallister boys.

Jude shook his head. “Brody’s tough. He’s used to catching a football. You’re a girl. In a dress,” he scoffed, tossing the ball high into the air and catching it in his hands.

“It’ll knock you on your butt,” Brody said, picking at a scab on his knee. Blood trickled down his calf. Gross.

“That’s if you can even catch it,” Jude said.

I wasn’t looking forward to fourth grade at my new school if it meant I’d have to see them every day. Jude was stalling, acting like it was a big deal when it really wasn’t. It was just a football, not a bomb.

“Just throw the stupid ball. What’s the matter? You scared a girl will catch it?” I taunted.

Jude snorted like the very idea was ridiculous. “You’re not gonna catch it.”

I hated the way he sounded so sure, like he knew everything. “Just throw the stupid ball,” I repeated, getting more annoyed by the minute.

“Okay. But just remember. You asked for it.”

I rolled my eyes, kicked off my flip-flops and streaked across the field, putting distance between us just like Brody had. “That’s far enough,” he yelled.

I ignored him and kept on running. He wasn’t the boss of me. When I was good and ready, I stopped running and spun around to face him. Whoa. I’d covered some distance. He was pretty far away. He probably couldn’t even throw a football this far.

I smirked, imagining the ball falling short. That would teach him to gloat.

“It’s gonna hurt,” Gideon warned, not even lifting his head from the comic book he was reading. I didn’t think he could read yet, so he was just looking at the pictures. His lips were purple from the grape popsicle in his hand, juice dripping down his arm.

“That’s if she can catch it,” Jude snickered.

I’d catch it if it killed me. Besides, I doubted he could throw a football as hard or as far as what they were claiming he could. The ball left his hand and spiraled through the air like a missile headed directly toward me. The sky was so blue and I was staring up at the sun which made it hard to see the ball. Jude’s annoying voice was yelling something but I didn’t hear his words. I was too focused on catching this ball. Concentrating like my life depended on it.

Next thing I knew, I was flat on my back, all the air knocked out of my lungs. There was an elephant sitting on my chest making it hard to breathe or even move.

“Is she dead?” That sounded like Jesse. A finger poked my ribs. I played possum.

“Jude killed Lila?” That would be Gideon. “We’re gonna be in so much trouble.”

“Let’s get another popsicle.”

“Yeah. This is boring.”

A shadow blocked the sun on my face. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. Blue eyes the color of the wildflowers in the field peered down at my face, too-long brown hair falling over his forehead, his brows drawn together. “Are you okay?” Jude asked, his voice softer than before, tinged with worry.

I wheezed, trying to catch my breath so I could speak. “I’m fine.”

“You caught the ball.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “I did?”

He nodded and gave me a smile that put dimples in his cheeks.