Tomorrow Land by Mari Mancusi

to let her off the hook. He took the ball back and dribbled it a few times, prepared for a shot. It felt heavy in his hands, very different than the virtual ball they played with in Basketball Dayz . Holding it over his head, he threw it in the direction of the hoop. It hit the backboard and bounced away. “Damn.” He raced after the ball. “I suck as bad in real life as I do in the sim.” Grabbing it and bouncing it back to the center of the driveway, he gave her an apologetic grin.
    “Sim basketball’s for tech-heads.” Peyton scoffed, grabbing the ball away and laying it up into the hoop. She was good. And so hot. As the ball bounced back to her, she passed it. Chris caught it and shot again. This time it bounced off the rim.
    “Closer,” she said, half-smiling. She caught the ball and bounced it to him. “Try again.”
    He caught the ball and looked up at the hoop. Concentrating this time, he aimed first. Pictured the shot going in. Pictured Peyton being impressed.
    He shot.
    It bounced off his head.
    As it rolled down the driveway, he rushed after it, his face burning. He swiped it up with both hands, turned and shot without thinking, wanting to rid himself of the stupid ball for good—
    Swish!
    “Damn!” he cried. He was so surprised and pleased, excited by his accomplishment that he’d all but forgotten it was a ploy to get her to talk.
    Peyton gave him a thumbs-up. “Not bad,” she said approvingly. “Not bad at all when you don’t think so hard.”
    “One more,” he told her, feeling all warm inside. “And if I make this one, you have to tell me why you’ve been crying.”
    Peyton considered. “Okay,” she said at last. “You’ll never get two in a row anyway.”
    Oh, wouldn’t he? They’d see about that. He bounced the ball twice, then caught it. Aimed again, sucking in a breath but also trying not to think…
    The shot bounced off the rim.
    “Damn,” he said again, but this time with less joy.
    Peyton laughed, collecting the rebound. “Ha!” she said. “You lose.” She did a little victory dance.
    Chris rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on,” he teased. “You know you want to tell me anyway.”
    She stopped her little dance, her expression sober. “Oh fine,” she said at last. “You’re going to probably find out tomorrow in school anyway.” She walked to the stone wall dividing her house from the neighbor’s and sat down on it. Chris joined her, his heart beating as fast as he could ever remember. He was so close he could reach out and touch her. Of course, that would end any chance of her talking to him, so he managed to resist the urge. If only she wasn’t so damn pretty. That gorgeous, long blond hair and those beautiful blue eyes. He could barely stand it.
    “It’s Drew,” she explained. “I caught him… He was kissing Brenda Booker.”
    Chris made a retching noise before he thought. “Gross!”
    Peyton turned, slight amusement coloring the sadness in her eyes. “You don’t approve?”
    “Of Brenda Booker? She’s nasty. Didn’t she have her LTF revoked?”
    Peyton gave him a half smile. “I don’t know,” she said. “I guess you’ll have to ask Drew.”
    “Well, he always was a bit of an idiot.” Chris knew he was being too daring, but he didn’t care. That Drew had hurt Peyton made him furious inside.
    She stared down at her feet, looking so sad that Chris once again wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug her and tell her everything would be okay. That she didn’t want to date such a meat boy anyway. But he didn’t know if any words of comfort would help. Also, sadly, he was pretty positive she’d reject any physical comfort.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “He doesn’t deserve someone like you.”
    She looked at him quietly for a moment. Then she said, “I punched him in the nose.”
    Chris’s eyes widened. He couldn’t imagine punching Drew, because he knew what would happen to him if he did. “Nice,” he said admiringly, wishing he’d