by Kai Juniper
"I hadn't either before Brook," I say. "And it probably wouldn't have happened if I didn't hire her to tutor Jake."
Danny laughs, turning back to Kendrick. "Does your brother need a tutor? Maybe you could hire Eve."
"Aren't you in a class with her?" I ask Kendrick.
"Yeah, calculus. I hate that class."
"Ask Eve to study with you."
"She wouldn't do it. I almost got us both kicked out of that class because I was staring at her during a test. The teacher thought we were cheating."
"You were staring at her during a test?" Danny shakes his head. "Man, you got it bad."
"I was only looking at her because she had on a really tight shirt, and I liked how she did her hair that day."
"If you want Eve," I say, "you gotta like her for more than her looks. And she has to know that, and know you're not just saying it. She'll be able to tell if you're lying."
"How do you know?"
"Because Brook told me. It's why they're friends. She likes that Eve can see through people's bullshit and call them on it. So you staring at her breasts isn't going to get Eve to go out with you. You'll have to actually put in effort if you want to date her."
"Just find someone else," Danny tells him. "You've got plenty of girls at school who want to go out with you."
"Yeah, and I'm bored with them. They're all the same."
"Then wait for college. You'll have a whole new group of girls to choose from." Danny turns back to me. "Any news on Jake?"
"No. Did you tell people about my dad?"
"Yeah, and it's been on the news. They showed pictures of him."
"No shit?" I sit up more. "How'd he look?"
"Bad. Are you sure you didn't hit him when he came after you?"
"I tried, but I missed. Why?"
"He had a black eye and a cut going down the side of his face."
"Maybe he got in a fight. He'll fight anyone who pisses him off."
"Where do you think Jake ended up?"
"I'm guessing he's trying to get a ride so he can get back home."
"He wouldn't go to the police?"
"Not unless he was forced to. He doesn't trust the police. Remember when they tried to take him from me?"
Danny nods. "Yeah, I remember."
When my mom took off, Jake told someone at school. A teacher overheard and called social services. They showed up at the house with a cop and took Jake. I had to go to court to get him back. It scared the shit out of him. He thought he'd end up in foster care. Now just seeing a cop car go by makes him nervous.
"Shit," I say, thinking about that.
"What?" Danny asks.
"The cops are looking for Jake. If he sees them, he might run away instead of going to them for help. Fuck, I didn't even think about that."
"He's older now. He's gotta know they're just trying to help him."
"But he doesn't trust them. He won't go with them if he doesn't trust them."
"Would he go with someone else? Someone who would give him a ride?"
"Maybe. When he was younger I told him if he's ever lost to find a mom with little kids. I figured he'd be safer going with someone like that than some random guy. Even our own loser mom would help out a little kid, even if she didn't know him."
"It's good advice. Maybe that's what he did."
"It might not work. He's not a little kid anymore. People could see him as a threat and not give him a ride."
"He's been all over the news. There's a chance people would recognize him."
"Yeah, maybe."
"He's awake," a voice booms from the door.
I look over and see Coach there. "Hey." I smile. "What are you doing here?"
"Came to see my boy." He walks over to the bed, a big smile on his face. He's the closest thing I have to a father. He knows what I've been through and has been one of my biggest supporters. He's the one who talked me into considering college. Before I met him, I didn't even think it was possible. I didn't think I was smart enough.
Kendrick and Danny get up. "We gotta get going."
"You just got here," I say.
"We got shit to do before the party," Danny says. "We'll be back tomorrow."
"What party?" Coach asks, giving them the same menacing look he gives us when we screw up in a game.
"It's nothing, Coach," Danny says, shooting a grin at Kendrick. "Just a few of us guys eating pizza and watching some movies."
"Yeah, sure," Coach says, rolling his eyes. "Go easy on the booze, you hear me?"
"Yes, sir," Kendrick says, laughing as they leave.
Coach shakes his head. "Those two give me a migraine."
I laugh. "I'm sure I contributed to that too when I was playing."
"Nah, you were no trouble." He comes around the bed and sits in the chair Danny just left. "So I hear they got your father."
"Yeah. They got him in the middle of the night."
"That'll add a few years to his sentence."
"The cop I talked to said at least ten, maybe more. He's got multiple charges against him."
"I'm assuming some of those charges are related to what he did to you."
"Yeah. I'll have to show up at court, testify against him."
"Are you're okay doing that?"
"I've done it before."
He nods.
"You just come by to talk?" I ask.
"That, and to give you some news."
"I hope it's good. I don't need more bad news."
"It's good, at least I think it is."
"What is it?"
"I've got some scouts interested in you. They know your situation and what happened to your knee but they're still willing to make you an offer."
I wait for him to continue.
"That's it?" he says with a laugh. "I thought you'd be more excited."
"I am. Sorry, I should've told you this. Brook might've hinted about the offers."
He smiles. "That's fine. I told her she could tell you. Last night at the game she was telling me she wanted to find a way to cheer you up. I told her about the offers and said that she could tell you if she wanted to."
Brook was looking for ways to cheer me up? Before we had our talk last night? She should've been looking for ways to get back at me for how I treated her, but instead she was trying to figure out how to cheer me up. I love that girl so much.
"Anyway, the offers aren't coming from around here, at least not yet. That's the part I wasn't sure you'd be happy about. I know you want to keep Jake at his school and keep living at your house, but I think you should at least consider the offers before you turn them down."
"Yeah? So where are they?"
"Idaho, Oklahoma, and Texas. They're all smaller schools, which I know wasn't your first choice, but your college would be paid for."
"What about the offers from last year?"
My junior year I had offers from several schools but Coach said not to take it too seriously since a lot of those early offers fall through.
"Those were bigger schools, bigger programs. I haven't heard from them, but I'm guessing those are off the table. You played well this year but you only got half a season. And until we know how your knee is going to heal, it's no use reaching out to them."
"Yeah, I understand."
Coach stands up, a stern look on his face. "Don't be getting down on yourself if you don't end up at a big school. It has nothing to do with your performance on the field."
"I know. I just wish this hadn't happened."
"We all do, but we can't do anything about it. All you can do is look forward and decide which offer to take."
"You think there'll be any others?"
"I don't know. I'm thinking our chances aren't good since the scouts can't see you play. There were two at the game last night. I talked to them this morning. Sounds like Danny will get a few offers."
"I figured he would. He hasn't said anything to me."
"He doesn't want to make you feel bad, which you shouldn't. You have three solid
offers."
"For schools that aren't anywhere near here."
"You don't think Jake would move?"
"He would, especially now that he knows what our dad's really like. I think that's the only reason he wanted to stay here, to be close to our dad, but now he'd probably be glad to get away from him."
"Then what's the issue?"
I don't respond, knowing he won't like the answer.
"It's the girl," he says. "You don't want to leave her."
"It doesn't really matter. She'll be going away to college too."
It wasn't until this moment that I even thought about that. I didn't think about it before because I didn't think I had a future with Brook. But now I'm committed to her. I want to try to make this work. But how is it going to work if we both move away?
"Does she know where she's going?" he asks.
"No. Not yet."
"Maybe you'll end up near each other. The Texas offer is in Dallas. That's a big town. Lots of schools there."
"I think she's looking at schools on the coasts."
"Well, I'm sure you'll figure something out. If you're okay with it, I'll stop by next week to talk about this some more. I've got information about the schools and their football programs. Once you have all that, you'll be better able to make a decision."
"Yeah, okay."
He laughs a little. "C'mon, you gotta act a little more excited. This is big news. It's what you've been working for."
I smile. "It's great, but I'm kind of holding off on the excitement until I know it's a done deal."
"I understand." He checks his watch. "I need to get going. The wife is making me go to a retirement party tonight for one of her co-workers."
"And you don't want to go?"
"I'd rather have a root canal, and if you've ever had one, you'd know how much I don't want to go to this party." He sighs. "But it's one of those things you do as a husband." He chuckles. "You'll see what I mean when you get married someday." He walks off. "We'll talk next week."
"Yeah. Thanks for stopping by."
Three offers from three colleges. It's what I wanted but now I don't know what to do. Accepting an offer means moving away. But staying in Chicago doesn't mean I'll be with Brook. She's not looking at colleges around here.
What does this mean for us? I finally commit to being with her and doing whatever I can to make myself better for her, only to realize we may not be together next year.
Chapter Seventeen
Brook
I want to go see Dean tonight but I don't have a way to get there. My mom went out with some of her friends and Eve had to work. It's only seven but it's dark out and I don't feel safe riding the bus or walking down the street when it's dark.
I call up Danny. Before all this happened with Dean I didn't really know Danny, but we've become friends this past week.
"Hey, Danny," I say when he answers. "It's Brook. Are you busy?"
"Just getting ready to go out. What's going on?"
"I was wondering if you could give me a ride to the hospital to see Dean. My mom went out and she took the car."
"Sorry, but I can't really drive right now. I've been drinking. Kendrick and I are going to a party later and we started drinking here at the house."
"Oh, okay, well, I'll see if I can find someone else."
"Josh is picking us up around nine. We could stop by and get you."
"Nine is too late. Visitor hours will be over."
"Shit, that's right. You can't take the bus?"
"I could, but I don't like taking it this late. Don't worry about it. It's probably too late anyways. I wouldn't have much time there before I'd have to leave. I'll let you go. Have fun at the party!"
"Hey, why don't you go with us? You've spent all week at the hospital. It'd be good for you to get out and do something. Bring Eve with you."
"Eve?" I laugh. "Isn't this a football party?"
"Yeah, but other people from school will be there."
"Football parties aren't really Eve's thing. And besides, she's working tonight."
"Not after nine. Doesn't she work at a clothing store?"
"Yeah, she gets off at eight but she's not going to go to the party. She'd rather go home and watch a movie than hang out with the football team. No offense, that's just how she is."
"She was around us at the hospital and didn't seem to have a problem."
"Why are you so insistent on Eve going to the party?"
"I just assumed you wouldn't go unless she did."
"I'd go, just not tonight. I'm not really in a party mood with Dean in the hospital and Jake still missing."
"There's nothing you can do about that. Sitting home worrying about it doesn't make it better. C'mon, Brook, just go out for a couple hours. We'll come pick you up."
"Thanks, but I'm going to stay home. Maybe some other time."
"Okay. Talk to you later."
I turn on the TV and flip through the channels. I'm really bored. Maybe I should've gone to the party but I'm really not in a party mood. And being around all of Dean's friends would just make me miss him more.
I hope Dean gets out of the hospital soon. When he does, he'll be going home to a mess. When Danny went over there to get Dean's phone, he said Joe had trashed the house. He said stuff was thrown all over the floor and there was blood on the kitchen counter.
I can't let Dean go home to that. I need to go clean it. Maybe I could get the guys to help.
I call up Danny.
"Hey, it's me again," I say.
"Change your mind about the party?"
"No. I was calling to see if you'd help me clean up Dean's house. Didn't you say it was all messed up?"
"It was a disaster. His dad must've been looking for money because he tore the place apart. And that was just the living room. I didn't see the bedroom but I'm guessing it's a mess too."
"I don't want Dean coming home to that. Would you and the guys be willing to help me clean it?"
"I think we could do that. I'll talk to them tonight. When are you thinking?"
"Maybe tomorrow?"
"It'll have to be in the afternoon," he says with a laugh. "After the hangover wears off."
"That works. Just let me know what time. Oh, and can you pick me up?"
"Sure. This is a good idea. I wasn't thinking about his house. I'll text you in the morning."
"Great! Thanks, Danny."
This will be good. We'll get in there and clean, and maybe we'd even have time to fix the walls. And we could get Dean a new couch as a welcome home gift. The old couch is ripped and stained and the cushions sink down so low you can feel the springs. It's not good for Dean to sleep on that, especially when he's healing from his injuries. If we all chipped in some money, we could afford to get Dean a new couch. There's a discount furniture store near his house. I pass by it on the bus and there's a couch in the window that would be perfect. I'm getting excited just thinking about this!
I spend the rest of the night making a list of things that need to be cleaned or fixed at his house, including work that needs to be done on the outside. I don't know if we'll get it all done but we can try.
The next morning I wake up even more excited about this last-minute project, wanting to go over there right now to get started. Danny texted me saying the guys would be over there around two. It's later than I was hoping for but at least they agreed to it. Eve shouldn't give those guys such a hard time. They're not as bad as she thinks.
"Brook?" My mom knocks on my bedroom door.
"Yeah?" I call back.
"Are you almost ready?"
"Ready for what?"
She opens the door, looking shocked when she sees me still in bed. "Why aren't you ready?"
"For what?"
"Brunch! We have to leave in five minutes!"
"Brunch? What brunch?"
"The one with the Hendricks?" She lets out an exasperated sigh as she comes in my room. "Brook, you knew about this. Why didn't you set your al
arm?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. We never told them we were going to brunch."
"I spoke with Chad's mother yesterday and told her we'd be there." She goes to my closet and starts looking through my clothes.
"Why you didn't tell me?"
"I did. I left you a note on your dresser. Didn't you see it?"
I get up and go to my dresser. I see the note, and sure enough, it says we're meeting them for brunch at ten and leaving at nine.
"I didn't see this, but Mom, why didn't you talk to me before agreeing to this? Chad and I broke up. I'm not going to brunch with him and his parents."
"There's no reason you two can't remain friends. Your father and I have been friends with Chad's parents for years. I've been wanting to see them again and this is our chance. And it'll be good for people to see us at the club." She holds up a plum-colored sweater dress. "How about this one? The color is perfect for this time of year and the fabric shows off your figure."
"I'm not going to brunch." I take the dress from her and put it back in my closet. "I'm going to see Dean at the hospital and then I'm going to his house with the guys to clean the place up."
My mom stands in front of me. "Honey, I know you have feelings for Dean, but I think it's time you think about your future."
"Meaning what?"
"I think you should reconsider going back to Haverhill. You could still see Dean but you'd be getting a better education. And you'd be back with the type of people who could benefit you in the future. When I was out with the girls last night, they said everyone at Haverhill is looking forward to having you back."
"But I'm not going back. Why are people saying I am?"
"Chad might've told them that." She turns back to my closet. "You can ask him at brunch today but we have to hurry up." She takes out a black dress. "Just wear this one. Black is always a safe choice."
I stare at her in disbelief. "You lied to me."
"Brook, we don't have time for this." She shoves the dress in my hand and walks to the door. "Get dressed so we can go. You can do your makeup in the car."
"I'm not going." I toss the dress on my bed. "And I'm not going back to Haverhill." I walk over to her. "You promised me you'd support me on this, and now you're not?"
She sets her hand on my shoulder. "I just want what's best for you, and being involved with a boy like Dean isn't what I want for you."