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flashed brilliant white teeth and deep dimples in his cheeks.
    Penny shrugged. “I was going to walk home with Melanie,” she said, glancing toward the gate where Melanie was waiting for
     her. “But — “ She paused and looked at him, smiling shyly, because she didn’t know what to say to him in front of Karen.
    Suddenly Karen broke away in a run, her hair flying in the wind as she headed toward the exit and shouted over her shoulder,
     “See you at home, Jonny!”
    “Okay!” Jonny yelled back to her, waving, then looked back at Penny, his eyes bluerthan ever as Penny gazed into them. She could hardly believe that he had called to her, that he was now standing only inches
     away from her. He was slightly taller than she, and was wearing a white t-shirt that showed off his tanned arms. “Some game,”
     he said.
    “Sure was,” she agreed.
    They started toward the gate, walking slowly. Suddenly Penny remembered Harold, and she looked back and saw him disappearing
     behind the backstop screen where there was another exit.
    She turned and caught Jonny looking at her. Amusement sparkled in his blue eyes. “Saw Harold talking to you. Interesting guy,
     isn’t he?”
    She smiled. “He sure is.”
    “What did he want? No, never mind,” he added quickly. “It’s not any of my business.”
    “Oh, that’s okay,” Penny said, willing to tell him. “He just asked me if I’d go to a movie with him this Saturday afternoon,
     and I said I couldn’t.”
    “Oh?” He laughed. “He took Karen a couple of weeks ago, you know.”
    “Yes, I know,” Penny replied. “And Faye last Saturday afternoon.”
    “Oh?” Jonny’s eyebrows arched. “He sure gets around, doesn’t he?”
    “I guess he does.” Penny wanted to elaborate, to say more about Harold, but felt that it would be unwise to tell Jonny what
     she suspected. So far she had no proof that Harold was responsible for the girls’ — Shari’s, Karen’s, and Faye’s — superstar
     qualities in the infield and at the plate. Once she was sure of it, she’d mention it to Jonny. Till then she would remain
     silent about it.
    Unless he brought it up first.
    “Maybe
we
can go sometime,” he suggested.
    She stared at him, surprised, and felt her cheeks turning hot. “Maybe,” she said. Her heart pounded. Was she having a dream?
     “I’d like that,” she added.
    They arrived at the gate, and Penny saw that Melanie had started to walk on ahead, as if she didn’t want to intrude in their
     private conversation.
    “I think Melanie’s waiting for you,” Jonny observed, his blue eyes flashing at her again. “I’ll see you, then . . . soon.
     Okay?”
    “Okay,” she said, trying hard to hide her excitement. She didn’t want him to knowhow really pleased she was that he had called to her and walked with her even
this
far.
    “Bye,” he said, and ran off, saying hi to Melanie as he swept past her down the sidewalk, his blond hair bobbing with each
     smooth, graceful stride.
    “Well, what was all that about?” Melanie asked as Penny reached her side. “And don’t tell me ‘nothin’,’ because that look
     in your eyes says it was ‘somethin’.’ “
    Penny smiled. “Believe it or not, it was practically nothing. But” — she sighed — “there’s hope.”
    “What did that twerp Harold want?” Melanie asked as they walked along.
    “He invited me to go with him to a movie this Saturday afternoon. How about that?”
    “Great!” Melanie’s eyes widened, interested. “You said you’d go, didn’t you?”
    “No. I hedged, then I said I couldn’t.”
    “What? Dummy! Why not? He’s paying for it, isn’t he? The inviter
always
pays.”
    “Yes, but I gave him some crazy excuse, something about Mom and Dad probably having plans for Saturday afternoon.”
    “You’re crazy, Penny Farrell,” Melanie snapped. “You know that? Wish he had asked me. I wouldn’t have hedged. I would’ve said,‘Sure, buster. What time you picking me