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Like I could reach up and pick the sun out of the sky.
    â€œThanks, Mitch,” I say.
    He nods and claps me on the back. “Keep at it. You don’t need to do anything fancy,” he says. “Just keep doing what you’re doing. You should check out some of the junior competitions.”
    â€œYeah?” I ask. I’m about to ask him how he managed to get sponsors when Seth roars up and slides to a stop. Gravel pings off his spokes.
    â€œHey, Mitch,” he pants. “Did you see me wave back there? I took my hands right off the bars.”
    â€œDid you, Seth?” Mitch asks. “That’s great.”
    I leave Seth yapping at Mitch and head back into the jumps.
    I drop off a lip and coast around, soaring over bumps, my head in the clouds. Mitch Woodgrove thinks I’ve got what it takes to ride competitively! I steal a glance over to where he’s still having his ear bent by Seth. Maybe I can be like him one day and do this stuff for a living. Maybe I can get sponsorships to pay my race fees and help me get through university. Maybe I’ll be rich!

chapter nine
    We stay at the jump park for the whole day. We break for lunch, sitting in a loose group on a bunch of stumps and logs. When there’s a break in the conversation, I decide to ask Mitch about his sponsorships. He must have some great backing, because all his gear is top-notch. And he drives a brand-new Toyota Tundra. And I heard him telling Chase earlier that he doesn’t work at a day job.
    Seth beats me to it. “So, Mitch,” he says. “Is it hard to get good sponsorships?”
    Mitch shakes his head. “Not really,” he says. “Not if you’re good.” He glances at me.
    I grin and open my mouth, but Nolan’s jumping in now. “You must make a lot of money from your sponsors, then, eh?” he asks. “To pay for all that primo gear?”
    I’m embarrassed for Mitch at this question. I guess Nolan doesn’t think it’s rude to ask pointed questions about how much people make. But, honestly, I’m wondering the same thing. Maybe sponsorship is the key to making millions.
    Mitch isn’t fazed by Nolan’s nosiness. “Sponsorship is enough to keep you in good gear,” he agrees. “And they pay for your races and travel. But that’s about it. It can be hard to make a living just out of racing.”
    â€œBut how can you survive, then?” Rico wants to know. “If you’re always training, when do you work at a regular job? How do you pay your bills?”
    Mitch shrugs. “I don’t exactly live in a mansion. And I make a mean pot of KD!” Suddenly Seth sits forward. “Hey, you guys,” he begins in an I’m-going-to-tell-you-a-secret tone. “You’ll never believe what me and Jamie saw when we were out biking last night.” I look sharply at Seth, but he’s not looking in my direction.
    â€œSeth,” I say too loudly.
    Everyone swivels their heads to look at me. Seth’s eyes widen as he realizes his mistake. I can feel Mitch’s eyes boring into me.
    Nolan looks from Seth to me. “What?” he says. “What did you guys see?”
    I think fast. “You know we weren’t going to tell anyone about the bear scare, Seth,” I say.
    Seth’s quick to catch on to my lie. “Oh,” he says. “Sorry, man. I forgot.” He fakes a worried glance at Chase and lets me steer the story. I breathe a sigh of relief.
    â€œDuh,” I say, pretending to be irritated with him.
    Our ruse worked. I’ve moved the topic away from drugs and toward something different. Of course, in mentioning bears, I’ve now got Chase’s attention. I’ll have to think something up on the fly. Damn Seth, anyway.
    â€œYou guys saw a bear?” Chase demands. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
    â€œBecause it was small,” I say. “And it was far away. Just a