“What?!” I feel like she’s said this a dozen times, and there’s more anger and confusion in her tone each time.
“I don’t know what happened. They said they’d take care of it, but he was at practice the next day,” I continue. “And he told me he knew what I did and that I’d never be captain. That I didn’t deserve it after betraying the team.”
“What an ass.” It’s almost as if the realization hits her at once. “But you did become captain.”
“Administration found out our old coach was aware of the tradition of finding a new captain. He got fired,” I respond. “When Coach Michaels took over, he chose the next captain. He said he wanted the team to be a fresh start for everyone.”
“And why didn’t you tell Ember about this when you started dating?”
“Because what happened to herwasmy fault. Even if I wasn’t aware of what Tanner was going to do, he chose her because of me, and I didn’t see any of the signs. She deserves better than me; she always has.”
Maybe the world finally realized it too.
April
She’s not here. When she didn’t attend class the day after the party, I thought maybe it was too soon to see me. Then she didn’t attend that Wednesday… or the following Monday. But today, we’re supposed to present our project, and she’s not here.
I should’ve known she wouldn’t show up when Brinley told me that she still hasn’t been picking up her calls… she probably thinks everyone was aware of what happened when I wasn’t even that aware of what was happening.
The bell rings.
She’s not coming. Which means both of us will have to retake this class, and I’ll fall behind since passing is a requirement for three of the classes I’m taking senior year.
Mr. Randsen’s eyes me like he already knows what’s happening. Like he knows he’ll get to spend all of next year with me again… and I’ll spend what should be my senior year with him.
Lucky me.
“Alright,” he claps his hands together, locking the door to the classroom and returning to his desk, “we have the second half of presentations today.”
I look back at the door, hoping she might show up. Maybe she already messaged him and said she’d be late, for God knows why, and he said it would be okay.
But why would he lock the door?
“We might go over a bit today, but I’ll contact any of your professors to let them know if you have a class after mine. They know our department is doing presentations this week, though, so don’t stress.” He grabs his laptop off his desk and finds an empty seat in the front of the room. “We won’t have time to do presentations after this week, which is why we’re stressing about getting them done today. So, I’ll stop talking and let you guys take the floor. The first group today is” he glances down at a piece of paper in front of him. “Andrews, Mercer, and Marshall.”
Their group gets up, getting out their board and PowerPoint to present, but even as they start presenting, I feel Mr. Randsen's eyes on me. There’s a hint of disappointment, and it’s the first time I feel like it’s not directedatme butforme.
There were seven groups on Monday and seven groups today… I’m the last person to be called.
“Sanderson and Bowman.”
We all know it’s just me, and he made it very clear at the beginning of the year that a group project was just that—a group project. And presenting alone goes against everything he’s said to us this year.
I stand in front of the class, but their eyes feel different. They aren’t looking at me because I’m presenting but because they know why I’m doing it alone.
Several people in this room witnessed everything come crashing down on that Sunday.
“Um, Ember, uh, she’s not—”
“Not here,” Mr. Randsen says. “I think that’s pretty obvious. Please, present.”
“But I thought—”
“Sanderson is your project complete?” he asks.
“Yes.”
“Are you capable of presenting it?”
