“Sean? Hi, sorry. I almost missed your call.” She held up a finger, indicating she’d just be a minute.
Crossing my arms, I glanced away, trying to keep my expression neutral.
“Well, we could, but it’s Friday.” She paused. “It’s football season. There’s a game.”
Keeping the irritation off my face grew harder by the second. Why was he calling her during the day? Did he have to bother her at work? It didn’t sound like an emergency, but it did sound like he was messing with her plans.
She always went to the games. Not because of me. She just knew it was important to support the kids, even in their extracurriculars.
“Sean, that’s not… Okay… Yeah, I get it… It’s all right, I can make it work… What time do we need to leave?”Sorry, she mouthed at me. “Sure, I’ll see you at home.”
She ended the call and dropped her phone in her purse. I didn’t miss the second she took to collect herself—the way she wrinkled her nose, adjusted her glasses, and brushed a few loose strands of hair off her face.
“Sorry,” she said. “Just… You know… Sean.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I wanted to ask if she was still coming to the game, but from her side of the conversation, it sounded like Sean had made other plans. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Great.” Her eyes widened a little too much and her tone was too bright. She was lying. “We’re hanging out with some of Sean’s work friends tonight.”
Watching her try to act happy about that was about as fun as being tackled by a three-hundred-pound defensive end on the opponent’s field while the crowd cheered for your demise.
“Cool. That sounds fun.” At least we were both lying about it.
“I’ll try to get to at least part of the game if I can. I might only make it to the fourth quarter, but then I can be there to see you win.”
“If you do, you do. If not, no big deal.”
Her fake smile faded a little and she started rambling. “Yeah. Of course. You don’t need me there. I’m just hanging out in the stands anyway.”
“Hey.” I held out my fist. She gave it a bump, then we spread our fingers wide and made a quiet explosion sound. “It’s fun when you’re in the crowd.”
The way her cheeks flushed slightly when she smiled did uncomfortable things to my insides. That was my cue to head back to my classroom.
I gestured toward the doors leading into the building. “I’ve got a bunch of grading to do, and I’d like to check out for the weekend after the game if I can.”
“Good call. I do, too.”
We went inside and up the stairs, passing students heading to their lockers and preparing for their afternoon classes. I paused outside my room. “See ya, Pennywise.”
“Ugh, don’t call me that. I’m not a murderous clown creature.”
“Fine, Penny Lane.”
“Better.”
I winked at her, then unlocked my classroom and went in.
I was a little disappointed that she couldn’t make the game. I’d miss looking up into the stands and seeing her wave at me like the cute little nerd girl she was. She was always alone, though. Sean never went with her.
But he was her boyfriend. I was just her work bestie. He took precedence.
Even if he was kind of a dick.
I flopped into my chair. Whether or not Pen was at the game wasn’t a big deal, and I really did have a ton of grading to do. Before I started on the pile of tests I needed to deal with, I got out my phone and tapped to check my email.
A knot twisted in my stomach, and I wasn’t sure if it was anxiety or excitement. Maybe a bit of both. I had an email from the athletic director at the University of South Carolina.
I blew out a breath, hesitating before opening it. They’d reached out to me over the summer, inviting me to come for an interview and a campus visit. I’d gone in July but hadn’t told anyone. Not Principal Larson or any of my colleagues. Not even my family.
