Years of Summer: Lily's Story by Bethanie Armstrong Page B

my little sister to have the car some too. Ally was thrilled. 
    The first time I took Jace home to meet my family, Ally was in awe of him for some strange reason. When we were eating dinner one night during that weekend she scared everybody at the table.  “That’s it; I know where I know you from.”  She was talking to Jace.
    “You know me from somewhere?”
    “Yeah, you were like the star pitcher on Decatur High’s baseball team and star lineman on their football team, who passed up a full scholarship to AU. WHY did you do that?”
    I glared at Ally.  “That is none of your business Ally, you are so nosy.”
    She looked down at the table.  “Oh, yeah, I guess you’re right that was nosy of me.  Sorry.”
    “That’s okay, do you want me to tell you why, I don’t mind.”
    “Okay, why did you pass up the full scholarship to Auburn?”  I was even curious about that.  I knew what Chelsea had told me, but that didn’t make sense to me.
    Jace went into his story.  “There were two of us up for the scholarship, me and my best friend Trace.  We both tried out for it, but for some reason his game was way off that night and he missed it, but that same night I messed up my knee, tearing the ACL.”  He showed us the scars on his leg.  “They were going to give it to me, but I bowed out because, one, I didn’t want to get hurt again like that, man that was rough, and two, he was not going to get to college without it and I decided to go to a small college and make my own way rather than be known for the scholarship I held.  They gave it to him and as far as I know, the last time I talked to him he was doing well and in pre-med.  That is why I gave up the scholarship.”
    My mom and dad were blown away, not to mention me and Ally.  My dad broke the silence.  “Well, Jace, that was very noble of you and so you ended up at UM.”  Oh no, dad was about to go into his what do you plan to do with your life spill.  I couldn’t say anything I could just try to give him warning with my look.  He caught on.
    “So Jace, what are you majoring in?”
    “I’m majoring in sociology to be a counselor?”
    “High school or elementary school?”
    “High school preferably, but I am not opposed to elementary school.”
    “Well you know; Lily here is majoring in early childhood education.”
    “Yes Sir, my roommate Dave is majoring in Elementary Education.  They have had some classes together. He is from Corner.  Lily told me that both of you grew up in Corner also.  Did you know any Jamesons?”
    Jace purposely pulled the conversation away from himself, I could tell he was getting uncomfortable because my dad had called him noble, then I understood why he never really told that story to anyone, but it was like he wanted me to know everything about him, Ally too.  I believe he would’ve liked to have had her for a little sister.  I never saw that coming to be, though, I couldn’t understand why.  Then I reminded myself—one day at a time—once again. 
    Mom answered Jace’s question.  “Yeah we went to high school with some Jamesons.  David Jameson, he had twin sisters, Sherry and Shelley, and the girl he was with at the time was Mary Ann Charles.”
    “That would be them, David and Mary Ann Jameson.”
    “Well what a small world.  You said they had a son, your roommate, Dave?”
    “Yes Ma’am and Dave has two little sisters that go to Decatur high.  They’re twins too, about Ally’s age.”
    Ally spoke up then.  “I have met them before, friends of friends, Hannah and Hallie Jameson.”
    “Right again, they are his sisters.”
    Wow, it was definitely a small world.  I don’t know why I didn’t know any of that.  Oh well, now I did. 
    After dinner the doorbell rang.  It was Connor, Ally’s boyfriend.  He had come to pick her up for their date.  They were going to the movies and Jace and I were going over to see his parents.  That was Friday night.
    Saturday Jace and I went to