He can’t believe it’s only two o’clock. He keeps looking at his phone, unlocking it, waiting, but nothing comes back from Deanne.
He does a bit of homework. He’s mostly ahead of the game, but it never hurts to be prepared—he’s smart and he’s disciplined, but he’s also taking all AP courses—and he doesn’t want to watch football with Jewel and David John. Doesn’t want to do anything, really, but better something than nothing.
Around two thirty he hears a knock on the front door. Looks out his bedroom window and sees David John telling a news crew to get lost. David John doesn’t raise his voice, but he’s firm. The reporter and cameraman trudge back down the driveway to their satellite truck.
A few minutes before three, he gets a group text from Coach Diggins. No film study today. Canceled in light of “recent events.”
He opens his texts. Deanne hasn’t responded. Decides to move from his desk to his bed, starts reading The Merchant of Venice for AP English.
At four fifteen he wakes up, startled. He doesn’t remember falling asleep. Tries to figure out what woke him up. Something familiar. His phone. Dozens of texts, but only one he cares about, from Deanne:
I don’t want to see you