Take a road trip with Dad
Leave my mark on Frost Lake High
Chapter Thirty-five
Vaughn
I hadn’t planned on coming tonight, but I was out on the field practicing when the volleyball game started, and Rowan convinced me to take a break and hang out for a bit.
State Championships happened over the weekend. Springfield won. I couldn’t bring myself to watch the game, but I heard it was a blowout. All-state teams were announced today. I made the first team, but I don’t really feel like celebrating. Austin and Rowan were named to the second team, though, and I couldn’t deny them the celebratory hang just because I’m in a wretched mood.
I can tell by her expression Lacey wasn’t expecting to see me either. My fingers tingle as they brush the side of her waist.
She takes another step back and moves to sit on the other side of Rowan. As far away from me as she can get. Ouch.
It should be a relief because I don’t have to make small talk or linger in the awkwardness that’s still present in ourevery conversation, but instead, it annoys me. I want to talk to her, ask her how the test went today, how she’s been. It feels like weeks since we talked, even though it’s barely been a day.
I wait until halftime to approach her. She can’t hide the flash of surprise in her eyes as I take the seat next to her.
“Enjoying the game?” I ask. What a dumb question. Frost Lake’s varsity team is up by twenty points and playing the bench. It’s hardly riveting.
“Yeah,” she says anyway.
The rest of our group stands. I’m happy to keep sitting with her alone, but Rowan turns to her.
“Do you want anything from the concession stand?”
“I’ll just come with you.” She gets to her feet like lightning, all too eager to get away from me.
Rowan’s gaze slides to me and there’s a hint of pity there. “You coming too, Cap?”
“No. I should probably get home.”
“You’re not staying?” Lacey asks, and I think I might detect the slightest bit of disappointment in her tone. Or perhaps it’s relief. Not knowing kills me.
“I have some studying to do.” Studying I’d way rather do with her. I promised myself I’d stay on top of my grades. I saw how easy it was to get behind, and I don’t want to do that again.
She nods, and as I stand, Rowan offers me a hand slap and side hug.
Austin juts his chin at me. “We should get together sometime next weekend. It’ll be nice to hang out without a six a.m. wake-up call looming over us.”
“Yeah.” I nod my agreement even though I never minded the early mornings all that much.
Lacey lifts a hand in a wave.
“See you,” I say to her.
* * *
When I get home, Dad is sitting in the living room, hunched over his laptop. We’ve barely talked at all since the game on Monday. Not that our silence is all that different from normal.
He glances up at me as I stop in the kitchen to warm up food. “I heard from an old teammate of mine. He’s the head coach for Dublin, and he’s going to be at the showcase in Detroit this weekend.”
“That’s cool.” Dublin isn’t Arsenal, but they’re good.
Arsenal has been my dream since I was little. I know it’s unlikely I’ll end up there, but sometimes dreams are just about pushing you to work hard enough to make something possible.
In truth, it would probably be easier to go to a different team where Dad’s legacy wouldn’t cast such a big shadow, but his love of the team was passed down to me at an early age and I’ve never outgrown it.
