When shortstop Mike Watson catches his Junior Varsity teammate Robby Brown slipping a tube of ChapStick into his pocket at the store, he doesn't know what to think.<br><br>Mike has had the hots for Robbie since the two boys started high school and finds it difficult to talk to him without feeling awkward and stupid. But he has to say something. What if someone else saw and Robby gets in trouble?<br><br>Does Robby make a habit of stealing things? Has Mike’s perception of his friend been wrong all these years? Is the ChapStick a cry for help or a way of getting Mike’s attention? Mike is determined to find out.

Caught

When he reaches the last seat, he throws himself into it bodily, stretching his leg across the length to deter anyone from sitting beside him. With his back against the cool metal side of the bus, he ducks below the window and tugs his baseball cap down over his eyes. He should’ve swiped a pack of gum, he thinks. His jaw’s clenched so tight, he wishes he had something to chew on to loosen it


Shifting onto his left butt cheek, he reaches into his pocket and plucks out the tube of ChapStick. It’s sealed in its plastic wrapper, unused, new. He still can’t believe he didn’t see Mike standing in the aisle behind him before he palmed the damn thing.


Well, no, I did see him,he admits, if only to himself.


Chapter 3