We entered the Stamp, and Lisette led us down the stairs, talking ninety miles an hour the whole way. When we arrived at the TerpZone student activity center, it was mostly empty. Half the students had already gone home.
"You do realize that we're celebrating leaving school for two weeks by hanging out...at school," I said as Geoff paid for a table.
"Oh, hush," said Lisette. "Better than sitting around, doing nothing." She snatched up the ball and one of the paddles. "Who's gonna face me first? I am invincible! Except you, Ross, because you'll beat me," she added.
Geoff smiled at me over her head. "I paid. Other paddle is mine."
"He'll beat you, too," I predicted.
"Have some faith!" Lisette protested.
I grabbed one of the chairs and sat gratefully behind Geoff as he returned Lisette's serve. My legs ached dully, echoed by my head. I never wanted to move again.
I liked watching him-tall, rangy, and athletic. And the rear view wasn't too shabby, either. I could tell that he wasn't really putting his attention into the game, but he still beat Lisette handily.
"Your turn?" he asked, offering the paddle to me.
I shook my head, forcing a smile. "I'm a bit tired."
In all honesty, I could not have kept up with either of them for a minute, trying or no. My ear infection had all but cleared up, but the stress of finals on top of the leukemia had left me wrung out.
"Come on," Lisette groaned. "Now I'm going to be the ping pong dummy."
"Table tennis," Sabrina corrected, grabbing the paddle from Geoff.
"You have an unfair advantage," Lisette said, pointing her paddle accusingly at Sabrina. "Your boyfriend has been showing you all those Asian table tennis secrets."
Sabrina grinned. "Damned right. And I'm gonna school the rest of you whiteys in how it's done."
"Learning to play ping pong doesn't make you any less white," Lisette sniffed. "And it won't make Ross's grandmother like you one bit more."
Sabrina served, and Lisette ducked as the ball bounced once and whizzed straight for her, letting out a piercing shriek.
Geoff and Ross whooped and Sabrina growled in mock fierceness, waving her paddle threateningly as Lisette scrambled after the ball. I laughed so hard that tears sprang to my eyes, my sides aching. It had been so long since I'd laughed, really laughed, that I'd almost forgotten what it was like.
Lisette brought back the ball and threw it at Sabrina, who caught it easily. Geoff grinned down at me, hauling another chair beside mine. He flopped into it. It was nice to have him near.