One day in my first week back at school, I headed to one of the regular cafeterias on campus. I went alone for the first time. I felt like a kid on the first day of school in a new town. I didn’t have anyone to sit with.
The line was also insanely long. There was no way I was going to stand in that shit. Without thinking, I bypassed everyone like I’d come to expect in the two and a half years I was QB1. I walked right to the front, grabbed a tray and was about to start serving myself, when a big guy I didn’t recognize approached me.
“Hey, man. What the fuck?”
I looked at him, confused. “What?”
“You skipped the line, dumbass.”
“Oh,” I laughed, “I don’t have to wait in lines.” I looked around for some of my adoring fans to back me up. There weren’t any.
He crossed his arms over his meaty chest. “And why is that? You think you’re better than the rest of us?”
I gave him a look. “You know who I am, right?”
“No.”
Our conversation was bringing attention to us. I could hear what a few of the people were saying… and it wasn’t great.
“Oh, that’s the football player who got hurt.”
“I guess he thinks he can still get the same perks he got before?
“Welcome to the real world, buddy!”
“What a douche.”
“He’s that asshole from that sex video scandal. You know, the one where he cheated on his girlfriend?”
“I never liked him.”
“Did you see the girl he cheated on? She was gorgeous. He’s an idiot.”
No one was defending me or agreeing that I somehow deserved special treatment because of who I was. Finally, a girl who looked vaguely familiar to me came over. “I’m the student manager of the cafeteria,” she said. “And I know exactly who you are. You might not remember me, but I was a hostess at the diner and ended up losing my job because I complained after you were a complete douchewaffle to me.” She leaned towards me, blue eyes sparking with indignation. “Let me tell you something now that you’re not a football god anymore. No one cares who you used to be. What you did on the field a few months ago doesn’t mean you can skip in front of everyone else now. Welcome to college life the way regular people live it, asshole.”
My mouth had dropped open halfway through her speech. I couldn’t believe the amount of animosity she had towards me. I remembered who she was now. I’d demanded a seat at the diner when there weren’t any. I cringed inwardly. I really had turned into a douche. “I had no idea you got fired. I’m really sorry about that.”
“Yeah, fuck off. I’m team Sadie all the way. That poor girl is so much better off withoutyoufor a boyfriend. Go to the back of the line.”
Most of the people in line clapped.
It was the first time I’d heard the term team Sadie, but it wouldn’t be the last. I started to ask her about it, but the clapping was so loud it drowned out my voice.
Shocked, I just stood there for a moment. Then, I walked slowly to the back of the line. I felt numb as I moved through the line, embarrassed to have caused a scene. And embarrassed that my past behavior was so bad that I was known for it. The looks I was getting were at best full of pity and at worst full of hate.
So… I guessed it would be different on campus now.
I got my lunch in silence and then looked around the cafeteria for a friendly face. Anyone I knew, really. I lucked out when I spotted Carrie and her boyfriend Thatcher. I made my way over to their table. They hadn’t seen me yet.
“Hey, Carrie.”
She looked up, a smile on her sweet face. When she realized it was me, her expression morphed into the meanest one I’d ever seen her display. She looked at me like I was worse than swamp fungus or flesh-eating bacteria. I took a step back.
“Carrie?” her boyfriend was looking at her in shock. “Who is that?” he asked in a low voice, though I could easily hear him.
“That’s the guy who cheated on Sadie.”
Her boyfriend gasped. He actually gasped. Then he stood up, and I was surprised to see how tall he was. “Go find a different table. You’re not welcome here.”
