by Seven Steps
Was he really calling out my father right there? In such an intense moment?
What would Daddy do? Tell him there was no truth to the rumors about him? Tell him he never lied?
A moment later, a door closed.
My father had left, and my heart twisted into a knot.
That one action told me more than any article, reporter, or tweet could ever tell me.
Like me, my father was a liar.
Would he ever own up to his mistakes?
Would he ever be brave?
Mrs. Samson released me and stood. Snot was running down my nose, and I wiped it on the inside of my sweater. I felt ridiculous, but at the same time, freer.
She didn’t say goodbye to me, or to my mother. She simply took her husband’s hand and walked out, leaving my house seeped in quiet.
I wondered if their lives would ever be the same after this.
I stood and limped over to my mother. In all the chaos, she’d fallen asleep.
Was she dreaming about my deception? Would I be the cause of her finally giving up?
I placed a heavy blanket over her and sat on the floor next to the couch.
The one thing I’d feared had finally come true.
All the things I tried so hard to hold on to were gone.
Would anything ever be the same again?
13
Time passed.
I was now officially homeschooling for the rest of the school year. St. Mary’s Academy had officially kicked me out. The reason was cited as non payment of tuition, but I knew it was more then that. I hung the letter on my wall, as a reminder of what happens when you lie.
I knew I’d never lie again.
My mother’s breast cancer finally went into remission.
She still looked different from the strong, lively woman whose photos lined the hallways and mantle, but she was getting better. Cancer is a funny thing. It tries to steal the people you love away from you, and when it fails, it leaves you with a shell of person you have to rebuild piece by piece. Each day, I helped my mother find a new part of her former self. We watched Jeopardy. We cooked together. We talked. Slowly but surely, I was getting back the mother I thought I’d lost.
And it was just in time.
My father was arrested three days after I got kicked out of school. The FBI had gathered enough evidence to prove that he had indeed done all the things he’d been accused of: fraud, corruption, and bribery. I thought it was hard facing Julius’ parents and explaining my actions to them. It wasn’t. The hardest thing I’d ever done was watching my father be led away in handcuffs.
A stone sat in my heart when I thought of it. I used to think my father was a superhero. Now he was in jail, rotting away with white collar criminals. The worst part was knowing he’d done something terrible enough to deserve to be there. My hero had fallen, and it made me question everything, especially myself. I’d done the same things he’d done for the same reasons. I’d lied to protect my family; he’d lied to protect his.
Was I destined to share my dad’s fate? I didn’t know, no matter how much I wondered about it.
Mom said we’d get by without him, and weeks later, we still ate well and had a roof over our heads. I didn’t ask where the money came from. I didn’t want to know. It was time for someone else to worry about all that stuff for a change. Ignorance can definitely be bliss.
Clay had been expelled, and Julius led the team to win the playoffs. I wished I had been there to see it, but Ariel told me all about it. Unlike everyone else in my life, she kept her word—she was there for me. We weren’t family, but she still showed up, even after everything I’d done. For that, I’d be eternally grateful.
It was a week after Thanksgiving when my mom leaned against my door frame. She was up and walking without a cane, and I was happy to see her strength slowly returning. I was sure my father would’ve been happy to see it too. I could tell she missed him, even though she didn’t talk about him much. When you love someone, you can’t just turn it off if they screw up. That love remains, sometimes forever.
“Mr. Mann called,” she said.
I dropped the pen I’d been using to figure out my chemistry lesson.
“The principal?” I asked.
She nodded. “He says he wants to meet with you about going back to school.”
I shot to my feet.
“What?”
She smiled weakly and nodded. “I told him you’d meet with him at three thirty sharp.”
I checked the clock below my television: it was already two thirty.
“But how?” I asked. “Did you pay the tuition?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Did Daddy call in a favor?”
She snorted. “Not that he told me about. Now, why don’t you get dressed and go down there, and be sure to tell me all about it when you get back.”
My heart fluttered.
Could it be true? Would I finally be able to return to St. Mary’s Academy? Even if I could, would I want to?
I pushed my fears aside and wasted no time getting dressed. On my mad dash out the door, I kissed my mother on the cheek.
“Thanks Mom,” I said.
“For what?”
“For being here. For fighting back.”
She smiled and waved me away. “Don’t get all sentimental on me now. Go, and call me the moment you’re done.”
I nodded, grabbed my coat, and ran out the door.
My mind swirled with thoughts and theories while I drove into the city. It was rush hour, but I somehow made it to school with two minutes to spare. I rushed inside, anxious to hear what Mr. Mann would say.
As I jogged down the hallway, I found myself looking for Julius. It’d been weeks since we’d seen each other, and I missed him. I missed his laugh and his bad jokes and being called Coats. I missed how chivalrous he was. I missed his smile, and his lips. We’d only kissed once and, though it was brief, the sensation was forever burned in my brain.
Did he ever think about that kiss? Did he ever think about me?
I sped walked past the secretary and into Mr. Mann’s office.
He didn’t stand when I entered. He simply sat behind his desk, fingers steepled, face set in a frown.
“Miss Kotopuli. We meet again.”
He didn’t reach out to shake my hand, and I didn’t reach out to shake his. I dropped into my seat, trying to catch my breath and anxious to find out what all of this was about.
Did I mention that running sucked?
“I’m going to get right to the point: we are offering you a full scholarship to come back to St. Mary’s Academy and complete your senior year.”
Excitement and joy bubbled within me.
“What? Why?”
Mr. Mann shrugged his broad shoulders. “For the past month, a particular student has been pleading your case. I’ve been hearing strange tales about how you were a patsy in all this and how you deserved a second chance. Every day he comes to my office and sits there, in that chair, for a full forty-five minutes, begging for your return.”
A student? Did he mean Julius? I was afraid to ask. What if it wasn’t him? But who else would plead my case for me?
“Last week, he showed up with a check with your mother’s name on it from the Roman Corporation.”
Roman? As in Clay Roman?
He handed me a check attached to a piece of paper by a paperclip. Four words were written on the paper.
For my son’s indiscretion.
Indiscretion—is that what they called it? I suddenly knew where Clay got his massive ego from.
“Because it’s addressed to your mom, my only options are to destroy it or let her cash it, and the school board really wants that money. So, I am going to ask you this one time.” He sat forward, his thick glasses perched on the tip of his nose. “Are you willing to resume your studies at St. Mary’s Academy? Or do I have to shred your check?”
I couldn’t believe it. This was my chance. My life could continue. My heart ham
mered excitedly in my chest.
“First, I want to let you know I wasn’t a pasty. I lied to Julius willingly, and I’m sorry for it. I’ve learned my lesson, I swear. I’ll never lie again. With that being said, do you still want me back?”
Mr. Mann was silent for a minute. Then he shifted in his chair.
“I admire your candor,” he said. “The money is yours if you want it.”
I nodded fiercely.
“Yes. Yes, please.”
My feet bounced on the floor. I was so happy I could scream.
“Well then.” Mr. Mann put his hands behind his head. “I guess the only thing left to say is, welcome back, Miss Kotopoli.”
Mr. Mann and I weren’t into handshakes, so I jumped up and ran out the door before he changed his mind.
I wanted to find Ariel, but I didn’t know where she was. I texted her my news, but she didn’t reply.
I couldn’t believe it. After all this time, after all I’d been through, after everything, I was redeemed. I could go back to school. I could pick up where I left off. Maybe I didn’t deserve this chance, but I was glad I’d gotten it, and I swore to all the gods in heaven that I wouldn’t take it for granted again, not ever.
Ariel still hadn’t texted me back, and I didn’t text my mom because I wanted to tell her the good news in person. My body went into happiness overdrive. I wanted to do something, to go somewhere, to celebrate this moment of resurrection in some way.
I practically skipped out of the building and jumped into my car.
I didn’t know where I was going until I got there, and when I arrived, I knew it was the exact place I wanted to be.
Corona Park.
I ordered a fish taco from the taco truck and stood in front of the unisphere. I stared at the giant globe, remembering my first date with Julius. I remembered how he’d dabbed the sauce from my lip, how he’d given me his coat when he thought I was cold. We sang the Backstreet Boys together. He gave me my name.
Coats.
I gave him his name too.
The Golden Boy.
I sighed. We were good together. I wondered how much better we would’ve been if we’d started off our relationship with truth instead of lies.
I sat on a bench and wrapped my arms around myself, remembering his arms around me.
I missed Julius Samson. He was a good man. Wherever he was, I hoped he was happy.
Please, please let him be happy.
“Is this seat taken?”
The deep voice was familiar. It was a voice that’d haunted my dreams.
I spun around and faced all six and a half feet of Julius Samson.
God, did he look good.
His jeans still fit well, and he wore a Lions hoodie and sneakers. His hair was more blond today, and his blue eyes shimmered like the ocean. A slight breeze blew, sending his scent straight to my nose.
It was a smell I’d never forget: Doublemint gum and Old Spice deodorant.
I shook my head, trying to calm my racing heart. I’d dreamed about him for so long. Now that he was next to me, I didn’t know what to say—I’m sorry? I love you? I miss you like crazy?
I moved over, and he sat on the bench next to me. His hands were shoved into his pockets. He didn’t look at me, instead choosing to keep his eyes on the unisphere.
For a while, we stayed silent.
It was good enough for me. Just having him here was good enough.
“So, you’re back at school?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Apparently, I’m now sponsored by the Roman Corporation. Maybe it was Clay’s way of saying he’s sorry.”
A huff of air left Julius’ nose. “Yeah…maybe.”
I raised my shoulders and dropped them again.
“Mr. Mann said someone convinced him to end my suspension, some mystery student. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
He kept his eyes on the unisphere, still not looking at me.
“Even if I did, it would be rude for me to say so. Charity should be done in secret, or at least that’s what my parents say.”
His parents—just remembering our meeting filled me with all kinds of emotions.
“They don’t like you much,” he said. “My brothers and sisters either.”
“I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t like me much either.”
“They don’t like you, but they understand you. They told me about your conversation. They said they didn’t agree with your decision, but they admired your bravery for trying to correct it.”
I nodded.
“And you?”
He laughed, just once. “Me? I’m an idiot. You lied to me, over and over again. You embarrassed me in front of my family. I should never want to speak to you again.”
My heartbeat slowed. I felt the muscle wilt and decay within me.
When Julius showed up, I’d thought there might still be a chance for us, but I’d been wrong. We were done—over.
“But,” Julius continued, “even after all this time, I just can’t shake you, Coats. I thought time would help it, thought I’d forget you, but every day we’re apart, it feels like someone’s slicing my heart into little pieces. It sucks.” He sighed. “I came here today to ask if there was still a chance for us. Maybe there isn’t. Maybe I’m too late.” His eyes finally met mine. They seemed darker, like they’d seen too much of life. “Am I too late?”
My brain turned to mush. It was happiness overload, like every dream I’d ever wanted had finally come to life. I was going back to school, my mom was getting better, and Julius wanted me.
My heart raced. My eyes widened. I wanted to say something, but my mouth would only hang open like an idiot.
Julius frowned.
“I’m too late,” he said. He stood up. “It was dumb for me to come here. I just thought…I don’t know what I thought. I just…” He shook his head. “See you around, Coats.”
He was going.
Walking away.
And all I could do was stare.
My body felt immobile, like my limbs were suddenly made of heavy iron. I wanted Julius to come back. I wanted to tell him I still loved him, but I was so shell-shocked I could barely breathe.
“Hey! Girlie!”
I turned my head. It was the guy from the food truck, and he was waving his arms and screaming at me.
“If you want him, you better go get him. He’s my best customer.”
Even the taco truck guy was trying to get me to get my life together.
What am I doing? Why am I sitting here?
I had to get up.
I had to go get him—I may never get another chance.
I shot to my feet and did the one thing I hated most.
I ran. I chased Julius down the brick pathway until I caught up with him. Then I wheeled around and faced him. His blue eyes were red, his cheeks flushed. When he saw me, he stopped walking.
“Hey,” he said.
I bounced on the balls of my feet, the adrenaline coursing through me so hard I didn’t know what else to do.
“Hey,” I replied.
He sighed. “Look, you don’t have to—”
“I love you,” I blurted out. “I’m sorry I lied. I’ve missed you these past few weeks and I really want you to know that…” I swallowed hard. “I love you.”
There it was.
My heart was on my sleeve.
“I love you too, Coats,” he whispered. The color began to fill his cheeks. His lips twitched into a smile.
“Okay, then.”
I threw myself into his arms, wrapped my hands around his neck, and yanked him down until there was only a breath between us.
“May I?” I asked.
He nodded vigorously. “You may.”
My lips crashed into his and, for the first time in a long time, I felt whole. I felt happy.
He quickly took over, kissing me softly at first, then deepening it. He gently nibbled on my bottom lip then ran his tongue over it. My entire b
ody grew white hot and I pressed into him. Our mouths melded together and our tongues dueled. We shared breaths until there was no air left and we were forced to break apart, our chests heaving.
My body felt light, as if Julius’ kisses had given me wings.
Then I realized he was holding me about a foot off the ground.
I laughed.
“It’s a long way down,” I said.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”
And he didn’t. He carried me back to our special bench, where we tried our hardest to make up for lost time.
After a while, we finally broke apart and headed for my car.
“It’s going to be hard going back to school,” I said. “Everyone hates me.”
“Forget them,” Julius said with a shrug. “If they can’t see you for the beautiful woman you are, they don’t deserve you. Plus, if they bother you, they’ll have to deal with me.”
I laughed. “I think they’re more afraid of Ariel.”
“I’d be more afraid of Ariel too.”
He leaned against the car door.
“So, what happens now?” I asked.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer.
“I don’t know, but I do know that whatever happens, it will just be you and me.”
He kissed me again, and my happy feeling grew until it took over my entire body.
Julius had told me we’d be okay.
For the first time ever, I believed him.
14
Two weeks later, life had begun to return to normal.
I was back at St. Mary’s, and even though there were still a few whispers whenever I walked through the halls, they didn’t bother me so much.
I had a reputation now, but I also had friends—and one gigantic boyfriend.
I stood at the door of film club after my first official day of school. It’d been so long since I’d seen anyone. I’d spoken to Sarah and Ariel, but that was about it. What would they think of me now that everything had happened? How would they react?
I took in a deep breath and let it out. If this whole ordeal had taught me anything, it was that it didn’t matter what people thought of me. I’d proven to myself that I was brave, that I had more strength than I thought. Even if no one in that club ever spoke to me again, I knew who I was, and they couldn’t take that away from me.