Chapter 14
After school on Friday, I head home and change clothes for work. It feels weird not going to soccer practice, but it’s even weirder that none of the guys on the team even talked to me today. It’s like I’m being shunned, which makes sense, I guess. I’m not on the team anymore.
Before I go to work, I text TJ.
Me:What the fuck
TJ:come again?
Me:Somehow you had an alibi and I didn’t?
TJ:Shit luck, dude.
Me:Are you fucking serious?
My phone rings after that. Before I can say a word, TJ says, “You’re gonna keep your mouth shut, okay?”
“Is that a threat?”
“I’m just telling you to play it smart. You should have thought of an alibi, man. They were coming around asking everyone. It’s your fault, bro. I mean, it sucks, but you know you can’t say anything now.”
“How could I have come up with an alibi when I didn’t know they were questioning everyone?” I say, my teeth gritting together.
“No one told you?” He sounds confused, but the fucker is probably lying.
“No, TJ. No one told me. I found out when I was called to the principal’s office and kicked off the team. He said every other player had an alibi, but I seem you recall you being with me that night, so how is that possible?”
“I was at my grandma’s,” he says. “Yep. I brought her Chinese food and did some chores around her house. She remembers.”
TJ’s grandma has dementia and half the time she doesn’t even know who you are when you visit her.
“You’re a piece of shit.”
“I’m smart,” he counters. “Sorry you’re off the team, man, but you should have figured this out yourself. Had someone lie for you or something.”
He just doesn’t seem very sorry. I think of the principal saying they had three anonymous messages that all claimed I was the one who did it. I wonder if they were all written by the same person?
“Enjoy getting off scot free for something you talked me into doing, you fucking dick.”
He snorts. “See you around.” And then he hangs up.
I’m so furious I almost throw my phone through the wall. Luckily, part of my brain still functions enough over all of this anger to know that phones are expensive and I can’t afford a replacement.
Dad is on the phone with Mom, from the sounds of it. Yelling about money again. Funny how I can just drown out these yelling matches most of the time.
“We’ll just stop wasting money,” Dad says into the phone. “No more dumb shit like organic vegetables. Just live more frugally and we’ll be fine.”
I don’t know what mom says on the other end, but I definitely know what she’s thinking. If he didn’t waste so much money on beer we could buy all the organic food we wanted.
I grab my keys, head to work, and put on a smiling face. Friendly pizza delivery guys get the best tips.
*
On Monday, I’m actually nervous as I get to school. I’ve sent Clarissa one text a day since Friday, and all have gone ignored. I wanted to call her, text her more. Hell, I wanted to show up at her house and beg for forgiveness, but I’m not an idiot. I need to let her know I still care and want to make amends, but I need to do it in a way that won’t drive her further away.
Now’s my chance to see her again.
I walk into the school alone. All of my closest friends are on the team and they’ve all somehow magically disappeared from the place we usually hang out at each morning. Whatever. Assholes.
