I mean, what if he’s on vacation? Or I can’t find him? Panic. Sheer panic at the possibility of not graduating because I can’t locate Coach Cantu has melted my brain. I’m already terrified my family and friends will find out how bad I screwed this up as it is. School ismything. The Thing I’m really good at. If this gets out, it will be theonly thingthey remember from my high school career, the annual joke every Christmas dinner until the end of time. Not how I was awarded salutatorian. Not all the AP classes. Not the hours and hours of studying. It will beRemember that time Olivia almost didn’t graduate because she screwed up golf?Four years whittled down to one sentence.
This will not be my legacy.
“Please help me,” I beg him. My phone (or really, Charlie’s phone) is ringing and I see my name flash across the screen. I mute the incoming call. I can’t talk to him right now.
The guard blows out a long breath. “Look, there’s no one here today but the groundskeepers. But I do know there’s a big golf tournament this week for the high school kids. There will be staff setting up for it tomorrow and some of the teams have plans to play through. I have no idea if the guy you’re looking for will be here. That’s the best I can do.”
I’m nodding and trying to take deep breaths to calm down. “Thank you,” I say. “Thank you so much! I’ll be back tomorrow!”
I’ve driven almost twenty minutes to find out no one is here. It will be a miracle if I get through the next twenty-four hours without losing it.
Phone Duty:Charlie
That noise. What is that noise? I reach for my covers so I can pull them over my head and it takes me a few grabs to realize there are no covers.
And there it is again.
I peel my eyes open and have no idea where I am. Or what day it is. Then I catch a glimpse of that awful bird sculpture Uncle Bruce bought at some auction and I remember I’m at Olivia’s on her couch.
Why am I at Olivia’s?
And why is my phone blowing up?
Thoughts of golf and her phone and Aunt Lisa hit me all at once. I feel around for the phone on the floor next to the couch. It’s one of those obnoxious oversize ones that doesn’t allow you to do anything on it with one hand. It’s like texting on a tablet. I tap in the code Olivia told me. For someone as smart she is, I’m not gonna lie, I expected a better password than her birthday. It takes my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the screen.
MOM:Good morning, sweetie!
MOM:Reminding you about Bailey’s gift! It’s an adorable pair of monogrammed slippers for the dorm. Thought that was a perfect gift for a PJ party! The store opens at 9 so you probably need to be there right when the door opens so you’re not late for the party.
MOM:Don’t forget to sign the card
MOM:What pjs are you going to wear? Those PJ Harlow ones you got for Christmas would be super cute. Make sure to wear a cute sports bra underneath it because I think those arm holes gape a bit.
I fling Olivia’s phone back on the floor. What the hell. She’s barely been gone five minutes and I’m already going to have to talk to Aunt Lisa? About bras?
I pick the phone back up, but instead of answering the texts, I call my number. It goes to voice mail. Did she decline my call?
Taking a deep breath, I read through Aunt Lisa’s texts one more time, trying to come up with a good reply that saves me from having to discuss underwear. Can I just sayOkay!to all of that? I scroll up to earlier conversations between Olivia and Aunt Lisa, and while it’s good to see Olivia doesn’t text nearly as much as her mom, she rarely answers with a simpleOkay!
She did not prepare me for this.
And oh Lord, here comes another one.
MOM:And since those bottoms are silk, watch the panty lines too
Okay, this has gone too far. Too. Far.
I call Sophie, the only other person who can help me with this, because God forbid Aunt Lisa decides to call Olivia if she’s not responding quick enough.
She answers on the second ring. “I’m at grad rehearsal,” she whispers. “Can’t talk right now.”
And then she hangs up.
They’re both getting it when I see them next. Finally, my name pops up on the screen. Olivia is calling me back.
“Hey,” Olivia says when I answer. “What’s up?”
“Your mom. Already texting me. I’m sending you a screenshot.”
