I jogged all the way to school from Steve’s Pizza. I didn’t have my backpack. I didn’t know where else to go. I had to go back to school. I cried a little on the way, turning sideways to hide my face from cars that passed by. I needed to go suit up, play the game. That’s what my plan was. I’d play football with my team.
The first person I saw in the commons was Mr. Urness, my physics teacher. He was on his way out as I entered. He carried a giant pile of papers in a fabric grocery sack. “Mr. Sadler,” he said. He showed me the papers. “You were absent for the unit test. Still feeling sick?”
“I . . . yes. I was at the doctor this morning.” I completely forgot the test.
“You look healthy now,” he said.
“Clean bill of health, I guess,” I said.
“Four hours too late,” he said.
“Sorry. I know. I didn’t want to go to the doctor . . . because I wanted to take the test.”
“We’ll discuss this next week. I’m headed to my niece’s wedding in Iowa.”
“Okay,” I said.
“She’s marrying a bozo,” he said.
I moved past him, into the school. I couldn’t remember where I was supposed to be. English? Maybe? Two freshmen girls worked on a volleyball banner on the commons floor. “What period is it?” I asked.
“Fifth?” one said, like it was a question.
“Don’t you know?” I asked.
“You don’t,” she said.
“It’s fifth period,” the other said flatly.
But right as I got to English, the bell rang, and my classmates began flowing out from the room, pushing me backward.
It was Friday. I had Current Events, essentially a class where seniors watch CNN, and then I had a study hall last period. The day couldn’t end fast enough. I texted Twiggs to see if he wanted to meet me in the locker room instead of going to study hall.
I saw that Mom had texted me fifteen times. She’d apologized again and again.
I felt nothing but rage.
Be there, Twiggs texted back.