." Then with a big flourish, Edgar pulled a framed picture out ofhis backpack and set it on the table in front of us. He sat there witha smirk, lettin...g us all get a good look. "It's autographed..."The picture was an autographed publicity photo of a gorgeous lookingbrunette with sultry eyes. I immediately recognized Shanna Sinclaire, abig time model who had recently started making a few movies. She wasvery popular among the teenage boys of our school, and I knew more thana couple of guys who had. ”“That’s why you should try lefty. It makes you more valuable.”“Yeah, I don’t know. I think I should concentrate on my swing and getting some pop.”“Okay.”Two weeks later someone grabbed Cassie from behind and swung her around. “I made it! Second base! The coach said they needed a switch hitter. I’m on the team!”She leaned back into his chest and held his arms tightly around her. After a moment she felt him relax and step back. He was flushed and embarrassed when she turned to face him.He. Dawn confirmed it all prompting her to laugh and shake her head, "Ihope you sue the bitch," she whispered before she hurried back to herdesk to answer the phone.I merely smiled at Pam's words before Melanie asked me to make a cup ofcoffee for her. I gave her an incredulous look for a second as I staredat her grinning face.Realizing the situation we were both in, I nodded and said of course. Ilistened to how she wanted to the coffee prepared before I headed intothe kitchen.While I prepared the. . Let'stalk later in the week, okay? We're almost there and I can't talkany longer. Bye."That could have been any of a dozen of Mom's friends and acquaintancesfrom church. Partway through that conversation, Caleb answered hisphone, and I figured from what he said that it was one of his friendswho home-schooled or went to the Everett Academy. "Yeah, Tyler's agirl now. She's going by Meredith at school, but Mom and Dad won'tcall her that... Oh, sure, at least a dozen people at school have.