... and they did.

They planted Kale on another unseasonably hot and sunny afternoon. They maintained a ten-row lead the entire time. That was greater than the lead they had at the final. Plus, they held back too.

Cole beamed with happiness, through a face full of dried dirt. They gave each other a high-five.

"I can't believe we finally passed them," she told them.

"We trained our butts off during the break. I also think working with your grandpa helped," Cole said, agreeing.

"Yes."

Cole said, "He taught me many tricks that he'd already showed you."

They hugged and she wanted to continue their Christmas discussion, but she wreaked of sweat and manure. She pushed him away out of embarrassment. "We need to shower before we do that again."

"Agreed."

She did not check for sun spray this morning because she thought it would be cold. They ran out at the beginning. Her skin was tender again, and it hurt when anything touched her.

They grabbed their packs and strolled over to the parking area.

Her mom picked them up. "How was today?" she asked.

"We won!"

"Yay! I would high-five you but you two smell horrible... and red." She rolled down the vehicle's windows and drove them back home.

"Did you forget to put on sun protection?"

"Ran out."

"I hope that doesn't happen again."

"Name Jinx!" Hope shouted.

She reached over to pinch him.

But he placed his hands up to stop her. "Wait Hope, please don't."

"This is going to hurt." And it would hurt a lot. "I think we should call a truce."

"A truce?" She inspected his bright red skin and grinned.

"For the rest of the day."

"The only way, that I will stop is if you quit and declare me the winner." She did not want him to end it because she loved playing.

"I'm not gonna quit. But, be warned the next time I win..."

"If you win."

"The next time I win, I will do it with maximum force."

"You're saying you've been holding back?" Hope asked.

"Kind of."

"Are you done?"

"Yes." He closed his eyes.

She pinched him with full pressure.

"GODDAMMIT!" Cole yelled.

That had to hurt. Hope and her mom chuckled.

Hope said, "Language."

Her mom parked in their driveway.

They got out. Her mom stated, "I do not want to see you, until you are both squeaky clean."

"Thanks for the ride, mom," Hope said.

She ambled to her house, went into her room, and took a long shower.

She relished the warm water running down her back. Before school, she limited this to five minutes. She knew she was well over her time limit and did not care.

The hologram of Maria appeared in her bathroom and announced, "My name is Maria Gonzalez and Hope Anderson is my number one fan." Maria smiled and held up her index finger. "You have an incoming call."

The old message used to announce the caller too until Cole added Maria. This one only repeated Maria's message. She glanced at her viewer on the countertop and saw it was from Maria Gonzalez.

"Fine." It had to be a sign to get out. She turned the water off, got out, and covered herself with a towel.

Maria's message started over, "My name is..."

Cole had showed her how to turn it off, using special code words. Hope announced, "Cole is the best," and Maria's message stopped.

"Answer call," she announced.

A hologram of the real Maria Gonzalez appeared next to Hope. She wore large sunglasses that covered most of her face, a bright white t-shirt, navy basketball shorts, and white flip-flops. A Moana beach towel was draped over her shoulder.

She scoffed, "I'm going to kill Cole!"

"Wait, what? I thought you liked him." she asked while combing her hair.

"Sorry, I do but he still has your number one fan message programmed on my viewer, when anybody calls."

She chuckled, "Oh that's funny." Then she gave her million-dollar smile and replicated her message, "Hope Anderson is my number one fan."

"I tried to remove it but was unsuccessful. He did restrict it during school hours."

"Congratulations, on winning. I always had faith in you."

"Thank you. Yes, we finally beat them."

"Also, did I mention that I adored that Christmas picture of you two? You look cute together."

"Thanks."

"So, did you talk to him?"

"Yes." She paused because that was not entirely true. "Kind of... he seemed OK with it, but his mom interrupted."

"Well, good. Then you need to find more time to be alone." Maria inspected her and grimaced. "Woah! You're extremely red again. Does it hurt?"

"Yes. It does."

She lightly pushed the skin on her arm and felt a great deal of pain. Maybe she should have called a truce.

"Ask him to meet you on your hill."

"OK. I'll tell him to go there, and I need to avoid our parents altogether."

She typed a message to Cole.

Hope: Meet me on the hill in 5.

She waited for a few seconds.

Cole: OK.

"Great!" Maria stated. "Good luck tonight."

"Thanks. Where are you today?"

"Still at home. Jacob's about to pick me up and we are going to the new water park, Colossal Kingdom."

"Yeah. I heard of it."

"I'm starving, so I hope...

Hope mouthed the words, "Name Jinx."

"...that he takes me somewhere to eat first because I am about to devour my sister's birthday cake." Maria motioned toward an untouched two-tiered black and white cake on the kitchen table.

"That park sounds like fun," said Hope, "I'm glad you two are still together. He seems to be a really nice guy."

"So far." She shrugged her shoulders and crossed her fingers. "OK. I was calling to say congratulations. I'm gonna keep getting ready."

"Me too. Thanks again. Goodbye Maria."

"Goodbye." Maria waved and said chuckling, "Hope Anderson is my number one fan."

Hope dressed in a hurry, putting on light clothes that would not rub against her skin. She removed her school supplies from her backpack. Then filled a water balloon and concealed it there. She did not want Cole to see it. She had done this to him in the past, two summers ago.

She headed outside and gingerly strode up their hill, to lessen the pain.

When she crested the top, she saw Cole leaned against the tree caressing the welt on his arm. On a closer look, she saw that there was a sizable bruise. She may have done that too hard. "Are you going to cry again?' She shouted.

"Ha ha ha. Not funny." He replied, coldly.

Cole grabbed his viewer and opened it to Perfect System.

She believed that this would be the best way re-attempt their mistletoe moment. "I think now would be a good time to take a break."

"From?"

"Studying," Hope said.

"Say that again." He cupped his hand to his ear.

"Take a break from studying."

Cole pondered what she said for a few moments. "Excuse me strange lady, have you seen my friend Hope anywhere?"

"I'm sorry sir, I searched high and low, but I could not find her anywhere." She circled around pretending to seek for someone, mocking him. "She may be gone forever. Long live the return of SUMMER HOPE!"

She seized the balloon and smashed on his head, soaking him in water.

"Mwahahaha!' she gave her best evil laugh.

"You are dead!" Cole yelled and wiped water from his face.

"I hope you can catch me." She winked at him. She said that on purpose.

He shouted the words, "Name Jinx!"

She spun and ran with haste, down the hill and away from their houses.

Cole leapt to his feet and charged after her. "I'm gonna get you!"

Adrenaline pumped through her body and it allowed her to stay ahead of him. The thrill of the chase invigorated her. She repeated her evil laugh and charged towards their old school. She planned to have him chase her around the grade school playground which bordered the open field behind their hill, turn around, head back, and then fake falling at the top of their hill. Yet, by the time she reached the playground she had already run out of steam after sprinting the entire distance. So, she slowed her pace, which that allowed Cole to catch up. She attempted her evil laugh again but could not expand her lungs enough. She felt Cole's footsteps getting closer.

She re-assessed her situation and no longer believed she could make it back before he caught her. So, she searched for the softest location to fall. The center of the playground had those cushioned foam flooring for the kids. Hope changed her coarse and headed towards the middle. She charged up the flat metal slide backwards, something they had done often growing up, and aware that the cushioned padding laid after it. Once she reached the peak of the slide. she would fake a fall to the soft bottom.

Yet, when she reached the highest point, she misplaced her step, tripped, and tumbled out of control, she tried to grasp the steel walkway that flew passed her but missed. Nothing else was close enough to save her so she braced for impact, praying that she landed on the forgiving side, while she plummeted back down to Earth. Her leg smacked loudly into a metal hand railing and then she landed on her butt on the concrete which knocked the wind out of her and made her dizzy. She became overloaded with anguish from her leg and back. She tried to scream but could not. So, she used small and short breaths to open them.

Cole landed, but rolled, next to her. He reached over to pinch her, but hesitated, reading her face. Then he asked, "Are you OK?"

It took a while for the pain in her back to lessen, but the pain in her leg did not stop. Her ability to breathe slowly increased. She reached over grabbed her leg and shrieked.

She shook her head and laid back, crying in agony. She touched the bump on her leg and tried to put pressure on it. That hurt worse. She knew she had broken it.

"Your leg?" Cole asked.

She nodded.

Cole moved down to her leg and noticed the swelling too.

"We need to go home. Can you walk?"

She shook her head again. Tears falling down her face.

"Don't worry I've got you."

He struggled to lift her but once he did, he held on tightly, and carried her to her house.

She knew better.

This was stupid.

"I'm sorry, Cole." She pressed her face against her shoulder and cried.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes. It is."

The hike back was long, and she suffered with every painstaking step. She expected the worst because she felt it snap. Yet, she wished that she was wrong. They could not miss any time. She continued putting pressure on her leg with her hand.

She just threw away her future for what? To pretend to be a kid again? To win over Cole? She knew she should have waited.

She promised herself to never make this mistake again.