The Trouble with Dating Sue (Grover Beach Team #6) by Anna Katmore Page A

to Church.” When that song was over, a random band came on next. It took me a couple of seconds after the first few beats to recognize the group. The album was new on my iPod, only downloaded yesterday from a CD. Susan Miller’s CD, to be exact.
    A smile crept to my lips at the memory of Sue standing in front of me in my room, checking me out from head to toe. I would bet my soul that she liked what she’d seen.
    She was an awkward case. A geek sitting with the Bay Sharks. And then a girl like her in detention? I just couldn’t picture that. But Ryan wouldn’t lie about it, so what the heck was that last comment of his supposed to mean? Should I have any clue as to why Miss Snappy got in trouble? I didn’t think so, but suddenly it was all I could think about. She didn’t look like the typical troublemaker to me, and Ryan said she’d never had detention.
    Kneading my bottom lip with my thumb and forefinger, I wondered which of the guys I could ask about it as I watched the minute hand on the clock move way too slowly. Ryan was busy for the rest of the day, and none of the soccer team had English with me next period. I could ask Ethan after school. He might know.
    Suddenly a much better idea took hold, and my leg started bouncing impatiently under the table. Maybe it was time to break my clean record of detention-free days and find out for myself.
    With the ringing of the bell, I shot up from my seat and out of Mr. Murphy’s class. I had a plan and only five minutes to put it into action.
    Trevor North, Jake Olsen, Tyler, and Brady Baker, all guys from my basketball team, stood gathered by Jake’s locker. Coming here was a detour through half the building on the way to my next class, but I knew I’d find some of them here and needed them all for Operation Detention.
    “Gentlemen, I need your help,” I told them, a little out of breath, shoving Jake aside and reaching into his open locker. Usually, he kept a basketball in there, and today was no different.
    Jake raked a hand through his black hair before he put his ball cap back on. “What’s up?”
    “I need detention, and you have to help me get there.” All four questioned my sanity with incredulous expressions, so I explained, “I want to meet a girl there.”
    Tyler narrowed his eyes at me. “Lauren was put in detention?”
    “No, it’s not about Lauren.” I started bouncing the ball on the floor. “Remember the girl from the other morning? The one who thought she had a date with me?”
    He took the ball away from me and spun it on his finger, chuckling. “Right. The cute nerd. So now you actually are dating her?”
    “Nah.” I rolled my eyes. “Turned out she’s friends with my brother. Confusion. Long story.” I waved a dismissive hand. “The thing is, Ryan said she’s in detention this afternoon, and I want to find out why.”
    “Thought about asking her?” Trevor suggested, leaning his burly shoulder against the locker next to Jake’s.
    “I will.” A smirk pulled at the edges of my mouth. “Why do you think I want detention?”
    “But you could just ask her now or after school.”
    “Sure, I could. But you haven’t seen that kitty in lion-mode yet. I don’t want to give her a chance to escape. An hour in the same classroom as her seems like just the time I need.”
    T-Rex slapped my shoulder, barking with laughter. “That, I have to see, dude. Count me in.”
    “What about Becks?” I reminded him. His girlfriend would wait for him after school just like every other day.
    “I’ll text her later. Bros before hoes, you know it.”
    When Jake slammed his locker shut and faced me with a wicked grin, it was settled—they all had my back. “Well then, let’s play some ball!” He stole the basketball from T-Rex, bounced it against the wall above his head, and then jogged down the corridor.
    As I raced after him, a familiar excitement crept up my spine. I intercepted the ball, bounced it twice, and passed it back to T-Rex as we