She stands up as I continue down the hall, intent on walking right by her. “I’m here to help.”
I stutter step at her words but refuse to stop walking. “You can’t help. Go away.”
“I’ll tell him I did it. I’ll even lie and say I photoshopped it. You never worked there. I was just trying to screw you over,” Daisy says stumbling along behind me.
Finally I stop and turn to face her. She looks even more like Maggie when she’s anguished. I never really wanted to know that. “Daisy, if you do that then you’ll be in trouble. They’ll see it as bullying which is strictly prohibited and you’ll loseyourscholarship.”
“But I deserve to,” Daisy says.
“No you don’t.” I can’t believe I am saying it. It’s true, but I still don’t want to let her off the hook for anything she’s done. Especially the part where her actions made it clear an Adler dating a Todd is destined for failure no matter what. “And I already admitted to having the job, so don’t bother. I’ll take full responsibility and I’ll handle the consequences.”
I turn and keep walking but just like a typical Todd, she is not done. “Okay then can you please stop punishing Maggie for this?”
And now I’ve stopped walking again. My fingers in the pocket of my coat grip the crystal Coach Garfunkle gave me because I actually decided to bring it. It might not help save my scholarship, but maybe it can keep me from murdering Daisy Todd. She scurries up to stand in front of me.
“I’m not punishing her. I’m…I don’t know what to say. My family will never ever get on board with us dating now. They know you did this. They know Maggie shot the picture and blackmailed her way into the booth. They know it all, and now this is doomed, Daisy. I don’t know how to make this work.”
“If you get back together I’ll be on your side,” Daisy says. “She’s a mess.”
“I am too,” I admit and sigh. “Daisy, I have to deal with this other mess right now, okay?”
She opens her mouth like she wants to say more and I’m sure she does but, luckily, she gets that it’s not the time. She nods. “Good luck, Tate, and I’m very sorry. I am.”
“Thanks for the apology,” I say and continue down the hall to the dean’s office.
I hold my breath and square my shoulders as I knock. The door is opened by Coach Keller. He nods and I see a flicker of approval in his stern expression because I wore my best suit. I walk in and prepare for the worst.
An hour later, I shake both their hands and walk out of there still a student with a scholarship and still a member of the hockey team. I’m also now employed part-time on the campus grounds crew, so I’ll be tending the lawns and helping shovel and de-ice the grounds when winter comes. The pay isn’t bad. As coach Keller acerbically pointed out when the dean told me the news, “It’s not Manly Maid money, but you can wear more than just your underwear.”
“In fact fully clothed is a requirement,” the dean had added.
I had a one-game suspension but I could still attend practice and after that, all clear. I was back on the team and back on track. It couldn’t have gone better. And the first person I want to tell is Maggie.
I step out of the administration building and start down the steps pulling my phone out of my pocket and reread her one and only message since this all blew up.
I’m so sorry. I didn’t do it but I’d do anything to fix it. To fix us. I’m sorry.
I leave campus and jump in my truck because I promised my family I would head straight to them with the news of my fate. The whole drive there I think about telling Maggie. I craft forty different text messages in my head but none of them sound right. She should know I didn’t lose my scholarship or spot on the team. But there’s so much more to say, and I don’t know how to say it.
I pull up and park next to the barn and pull my phone out again and start to respond to her last message.
Dean took pity on me. Still have my scholarship. We should probably talk…in person.
I stare at the screen waiting for a response but then I hear a voice I’m not expecting at the farm—my mom’s. “Tate! You’re back. What happened?” She turns and calls into the house through the screen door. “Tate’s back!”
I look up and see her on the porch, wrapped in a cardigan and holding a coffee mug. It takes me back. She used to wave goodbye to us like that as we made our way down the drive to catch the school bus. Only her face wasn’t creased with worry back then like it is now.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. She hasn’t been to the farm, that I know of, since the divorce unless it was to drop us off after weekend visits, but she never got out of the car.
“Your dad said I should come here and wait for the news,” she explains as the door behind her opens and my entire family floods out of the house. Even Raquel and Louise are there.
“What happened?” Dad demands, his tone clipped and tense.
“I’ve still got my scholarship.”
Everyone blurts out various words of relief.
“And I’m still on the team, but I am suspended one game, so I won’t be playing this weekend,” I say.
