Dylan
Monday morning, I trudge alongside Jacob and Ford as we make our way to school, my feet dragging with each step. The weekend ended too soon, and I’m already dreading the reality waiting for me at home. It’s going to be hard to face Matthew after the carefree few days I’ve spent with my guys. I can’t help but think about college, hoping we’ll end up together at the same university, and can find a place of our own instead of cramming into the dorms.
We reach my locker, and they wait while I grab my books. A few of our classmates walk past, slapping the three of us on the back and congratulating us on our win. Seems I’m not so invisible now, which I should have known after I took my helmet off. We walk to our homeroom, and I take my seat between Ford and Jacob. With a sheepish grin, Jacob pulls out his Trigonometry homework, the pages slightly crumpled from being stuffed in his backpack.
“Help me out, Dylan? This stuff is gibberish,” he scoffs, pushing the paper across the desk to me.
Smiling, I take the paper and patiently explain each step to him. “You just need to remember the acronym SOHCAHTOA. Sine, cosine, and tangent are all about the ratios of sides in a right triangle.”
He nods, jotting down notes. Ford watches us with a mischievous smirk on his face. “You’re a lifesaver. Without you, Jacob would probably flunk.”
Jacob punches him lightly on the arm. “Hey, I’d survive. Maybe.”
I laugh, but a part of me feels a pang of sadness. How much longer will we get to do this? Just a few more weeks, and we could be scattered in different colleges, different futures. I hope we don’t, but it’s out of our hands.
The bell rings, signaling the end of homeroom. Ford kisses me goodbye, a quick, sweet peck that leaves my lips tingling. Jacob and I make our way to our first class, World History.
The next hour is as slow and dull as ever. Mr. Hanson drones on about the Treaty of Versailles, his voice a monotonous hum that lulls half the class into a daze. I try to pay attention, but my mind keeps wandering. Only a few weeks left, and I’ll be free from this place, graduating with honors and stepping into the next chapter of my life. But what if I’m not ready? What if everything changes too fast?
When the bell finally rings, I quickly gather my belongings and head toward the exit. Jacob walks me to Anatomy, his hand brushing against mine in a silent gesture of support. He’s off to PE, leaving me to navigate the intricacies of the human body.
Mrs. Cider is in the middle of a lesson on the cardiovascular system when the intercom crackles. “Is Dylan Murphy in class today?” Mrs. Cordray’s voice echoes through the room.
Mrs. Cider looks at the speaker, frowning before she pushes the button to reply. “She is.”
“Can you send her to the office, please?”
“She’s on her way.” Mrs. Cider’s gaze lands on me, and I feel the weight of everyone’s eyes as I gather my things.
What could this be about?
A wave of panic washes over me, causing my heart to race. The only thing that comes to mind is the lacrosse game this weekend. Did the principal find out? Every step toward the office feels heavier, my stomach churning with anxiety.
Miss Cordray greets me with a tight smile. “Wait here, please. I’ll tell Principal Nosta you’re here.”
I sit, picking at a callous on my hand, a constant reminder of the countless hours spent gripping my lacrosse stick. I feel a sudden prickling sensation on the back of my neck and turn as the door I just walked through opens. My mother walks in, her face a mask of concern and irritation.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice shaky.
“They called me about you,” she replies, her tone clipped.
Principal Nosta opens his door, motioning us in. “Dylan, Miss Murphy, please come in.”
We sit in the chairs across from his desk, my mother and I side by side. Principal Nosta steeples his fingers, a serious expression on his face.
“Miss Murphy, thank you for coming on such short notice. We need to discuss Dylan’s participation on the boys’ lacrosse team.”
My mother’s eyes widen in surprise. “That’s absurd. While she is active in the book club and a few other extracurriculars, sports is not a part of her schedule.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but Dylan has played lacrosse all season. She participated in the championship game this weekend. That’s how I found out. Coach Blue and her teammates kept it wellhidden. The team they played in the championship is calling for an overturn of the win.”
“They can’t do that!” I burst out. “We won fair and square. There’s no rule against a girl being on the team. I checked the handbook. No one ever asked me to remove my helmet, and I gave my real name, Dylan Murphy. It could have been a typo, putting an M for gender instead of F.”
“Will there be trouble? Beyond the possibility of overturning the win?” my mother asks, her voice tight.
Principal Nosta sighs. “It’s not against the rules, but I’m not pleased with the deception. The other team is arguing on grounds of fairness.”
My heart gallops in my chest as cold sweat breaks out all over my body. What if they strip us of our win? What if this ruins everything? Lacrosse is my ticket to college, to freedom. Without it, what do I have left?
