Varsity Captain

June Mabee is a lot of things. She's the girl next door. She's the best friend I ever had. She was my first kiss. And she's the last person I should have feelings for. Two years ago, I cut all ties with her because I had no choice. No more late-night phone calls, no hellos or goodbyes, not even a passing smile. I left her to wonder what happened to the us we used to be. We were best friends, and then suddenly . . . we weren't. And I know it hurt. But the truth would have hurt her more, and being anything with June would have destroyed my family. For a while, we managed to exist a hundred feet apart with no connection at all. She changed schools. I kept busy. We existed, apart. But no matter how hard I tried to not think about her, I just couldn't stay away from the funny, adventurous, steadfast girl with wild green eyes. She's back. We're seniors now. We've grown—all of us. And while I might be different, she's different too. She takes risks, stands up for herself and doesn't back down. The more we're forced together, the more I miss her. But for June to be a part of my story, I need to tell her the whole truth, everything that happened. And I'm not sure any of us are ready for that.