Chaeyoung’s eyes brighten just before the boys run in and wrap her in a hug. “Deal!” She says, grinning at Lisa over Jungkook’s shoulder. You should have let him take it all the way off, Han, Joanie says. You deprived us all of another great Luke-Manceau showdown.

I can ignore it, she thinks. I can refuse to look at it. I can stomp on it every time it springs up within me. Amen,” Lisa mutters, tossing the word into the great rush of “Amen” that sweeps across the gym. She raises her hand to her forehead to make the same Sign of the Cross that everyone else is making, the words and actions ingrained in her brain, her movements mirroring those of every other person in the gym.

Jin pulls up his t-shirt in a fit of mania so that the red Tiger Spirit! imprint catches around his armpits and his white undershirt is on full display to everyone across the gym. He makes to take the shirt all the way off, but Lisa elbows him and points down at Mr Kim, whose small, beady eyes are glaring daggers at Jin from beneath the basketball hoop. Chaeyoung turns to look at her. They blink at each other for a moment, the crisp air cutting the space between them, and then Chaeyoung’s lips turn upwards. Wally leans down close to Hannah, his eyes bright and his mouth open in a big smile. Remember the first time Clay talked to us about football? he says. Then he laughs in that shy way he has, and Lisa turns away from him and talks to whoever is on her other side.

He looks the same as ever,” Luke says. “Like he’s high and doesn’t know what he’s doing here. Gotta love old Goach.” They eat spice cake with Lisa’s family that night. Jisoo cuts the slices for everyone, her voice proud as she brags about how this is the best cake she’s ever made. Lisa’s mom and dad sit at the far side of the table, both of them wearing content smiles, Lisa’s dad laying his hand on the table for her mom to take. the student body breaks into whooping and applause. It starts in Lisa’s section, with the senior class, and moves all around the gym as the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen echo their older peers. “Yeah!” Jin shouts amidst all the cheering. “Bring on the Mandu!”Doesn’t mean anything?” Jungkook says, his expression incredulous. “Are you kidding? Dude, like Chaeyoung said, it’s a chance to show we’re the best. Fifty years of competition with Mount Sinai and we can finally prove we’re better. We’ll have bragging rights for the next 50 years! Besides, think about that prize money. If we could pour that into the football program—“ Hola, amigos,” Jisoo says, shuffling into their row, oblivious to the screaming people all around her. “Sorry we missed the big play.” They hike up the stands with their drinks in their hands, the paper cup burning Lisa’s fingers with cold. The sea of people around them—students, parents, siblings—moves like one mass in response to the game. Lisa climbs upward and upward until she sees Chaeyoung, her bleached blonde hair reflecting the light of the stadium lamp posts, sitting in the middle of a row, surrounded by people on all sides. “Here,” Lisa says, tugging on Felix’s sleeve and leading him into the row of people. Don’t make me blush, Lis,” Jungkook says, clapping a hand to her shoulder. “Where’s everyone else?”

Shake the microphone cord at Mrs Kwog and tell her you challenge her to a jump rope competition. Loser has to do body shots off of Mr Kim Of course we did, chipmunk,” Lisa says, taking Chaeyoung’s glass from the table and refilling it with sweet tea for her. “This is actually probably the lamest birthday party we’ve ever had for you.” My hope is that anyone that has taken the time to read through this review… If you know someone who's isolated or feels alone that can benefit from this book, please pay it forward and pass it along. Before we start, Baker says, and at her words, the gym falls quiet again, Father Simon is going to lead us in prayer.Fine.” Jisoo bites a nacho in two and hands Lisa the smaller half. “Don’t say I never did anything for you.” The woman raises her eyebrows even higher, and Felix moves the car into gear, bursting with laughter as soon as they’ve pulled away. Hannah knows she should like Wally, the kind, earnest boy who asks her to prom. She should cheer on her friend Clay when he asks Baker to be his girlfriend. She should follow the rules of her conservative community--the rules that have been ingrained in her since she was a child. Lisa smiles without planning to, the way she used to smile as a kid when her mom would wake her on Christmas morning.

Oh, I’m sorry,” Lisa says, “would you like me to choose something else from my library of three-thousand songs that you accidentally deleted when you were wasted?” It’s there. She knows it’s there. If she’s truthful with herself, she’s probably known it all along. But now, as the days grow longer and the Garden District grows greener, she can actually see it. It has sprung up at last, and it refuses to be unseen. They hold each other’s eyes for a second, and then Lisa swings her smile from Chaeyoung to the others. “I’m down,” she says. Joanie would have hit you harder, Wally says, hiking his eyebrows high above the rims of his glasses. Luke pulls up his t-shirt in a fit of mania so that the red Tiger Spirit! imprint catches around his armpits and his white undershirt is on full display to everyone across the gym. He makes to take the shirt all the way off, but Hannah elbows him and points down at Mr. Manceau, whose small, beady eyes are glaring daggers at Luke from beneath the basketball hoop.Jungkook runs a hand through his dark hair and mutters “Big night” for the third time, and then a building door opens several yards behind him. Because this is the first date I’ve been on where I actually like the person,” Chaeyoung says, and Lisa blushes all over.