The Program (The Program #1)(76)

“Sloane!”

I jump and spin around, nearly wiping out on the field as I see James jogging up, his cheeks pink from running. The sun reflects off his hair, casting him in gold. I hate how gorgeous he is.

“Are you trying to get me in trouble?” I ask the minute he’s in front of me, breathing hard. I look behind him to make sure no one’s watching, but he just smiles.

“Define trouble.”

I shake my head and turn, starting across the field, even though my sneakers are getting sucked into the mud. “Freaking hell,” I say, trying to jump from grass patch to grass patch.

“So you skip class too?” James asks.

“Obviously. But I don’t try to get caught by yelling people’s name across the field.”

“Are you pissed because I had a minibreakdown in the car?”

I stop, and James bumps into the back of me, nearly sending me headlong into the mud. I grab for his shirt and he grabs for my hand and soon we’re both off balance. When we’re finally standing straight, our feet are practically on top of each other’s, James holding me by the wrist. I worry that someone will see us like this. He shouldn’t be this close. And he definitely shouldn’t be looking at me like that.

“I have to go,” I say, yanking away. Only when I do, James’s foot slides in the mud and then he’s falling back, landing faceup in a pile of mud.

“I am so sorry!” I say, putting my hand over my mouth. But instead of jumping up and trying to clean himself off, James starts laughing hysterically.

“You did that on purpose,” he says. “You’re so dead.” He gets up, trying to grab for me, but his knee slides, and he ends up sprawling out on his stomach, covered in mud from head to toe. “Oh my God,” he says. He rolls over and lands with a splat right next to my feet, and I can’t stop myself from bursting out laughing.

“You laughing at me?” he asks, still staring up at the sky.

“Yes,” I say immediately. “I absolutely am.”

He lifts his head, mud smeared on his ear, and grabs my pant leg. “Oh, yeah?”

“Don’t you dare.”

He knots the jean fabric in his fist, yanking on it playfully. “Do you like getting dirty?”

“I will beat you senseless.” I see where he’s smeared mud on my clothing already. I’m afraid he might actually drag me down with him. “I have no problem kicking your balls,” I add.

He chuckles and pulls me again, making me stumble, but I correct myself before I fall. Around us the world smells like earth and life. I try to pull from his grasp without letting my other sneaker slip in the mud.

“James,” I say calmly, “let me go or I swear I’ll scream.”

“Really? You would get me thrown back into The Program?”

And when I think about it, I know I wouldn’t. I kick his hand and yank back, but my other sneaker flips out from under me and I fall.

James swears and moves quickly, trying to catch me, but I’m faceup in the mud before he can. The cool, mushy earth surrounds me as I catch my breath.

“Sloane?” James is kneeling next to me, looking concerned. “I wasn’t really going to pull you into the mud.”

I stare back at him, my fingers digging into a clump of mud at my side. James actually looks worried. He’s such an idiot. With a fierce right hook, I smash a handful of mud on the side of his face, catching him completely off guard as he falls to his side. The minute he’s down I start taking clumps of mud and grass and throwing them at him, burying him.

He’s laughing, bits of dirt on his teeth before he sits up and lunges, tackling me. “You’re nuts,” he says. “Oh, and I think you’re hungry.” He’s got me pinned, my ears half-buried in the mud, blocking out the sound of his threats.

He holds up a huge handful of mud, his own face covered nearly completely. He looks ridiculous, his blue eyes standing out against the dark dirt. He holds the mud over my face, little bits of dirty water dripping on my cheek. “You’re going to eat this,” he says.

“Don’t!” I’m half laughing, half begging, trying to turn my face so he won’t stuff the dirt into my mouth.

James takes both my hands in one of his, pining them over my head as he moves to straddle me, wiping the mud on my neck, smearing it with his fingers.

“Ew!” he says dramatically. “This must feel so disgusting.” He shoves it down the front of my shirt.

The mud is cold and slimy, and I turn from left to right trying to get away from it, giggling the entire time.

“You pushed me in the mud,” he says, grabbing another big handful from next to my face. “Then you threatened my balls. I think you should pay, don’t you?”

“No!”

James lets my hands go, but doesn’t get up. He’s so proud of himself, having pinned a girl half his size, but I don’t point this out. He exhales and throws the clump of mud off to the side, looking down at me as if he doesn’t know what to do with me now.

“You’re a vicious little thing,” James says as he finally crawls off me. “You would have really hurt me if I let you.” His sneakers make a sucking noise as he stands up. When he holds out his hand to me, I look at it doubtfully.

“Truce?” he asks.