“What…about the interview?” I asked.
“I haven’t heard of Tallulah before, but I thought she did very well. It’s a good interview.”
Ah. The newspaper one.
“Good to hear.” I nodded and opened up the package.
My fingers curled along the side of the box, and I stared with wide eyes. Holy shit. It was full of all my favorite junk food crap. Everything. I swept a few items to the side and peered in. There were two CDs with audiobooks and a postcard with bioluminescent plankton. An old postcard, a little worn at the edges, taped on a box of chocolate chip cookies.
It was a care package.
A little note rested at the top corner, and I picked it up, folding back the paper.
Piper said you needed a pick-me-up!
Lovely to meet you, Adam!
“What is it?” Cleo asked, walking close.
I drew away from her, pulling the care package to my chest. That was stupid though. It wasn’t a secret. The box was just some cookies and candy. Cleo could see it.
Reluctantly, I showed her the box.
“Interesting.”
Suddenly, with a look at Cleo, I realized why she delivered it personally. Everybody else on the football team must’ve gotten packages like this all the time from their families. I didn’t. In my three years at Marrs, I never got a single letter.
“It’s from Piper’s parents,” I explained, placing the box carefully on the top shelf of my locker, and took out my phone.
“Very sweet,” Cleo hummed. “I have a meeting, but…good job on the interview.”
I nodded and went back to my phone, leaning against the lockers. Piper’s contact was the first one to pop up, and I scanned over our last messages, about her overnight shift tonight. She’d stepped away from practice to get ready.
I ran my thumb along the side of the phone, trying to figure out what to say.
adam: i got the package
Fuck. That wasn’t good. I thumped my head against the lockers and quickly deleted it.
adam: hey i know you asked your parents to
Even worse. I deleted it just as fast.
adam: i never got something like this before and i need you to know that
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck that.
My fingers hovered over the keys, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. How could I explain it? I pushed the care package farther into my locker and started to type the new messages.
adam: everything in the fridge is yours for the shift
adam: cabinets above the stove got everything too
There. I could send that. Later, we’d talk about the care package. I placed my phone back in my locker and started heading to practice before I remembered what else I was supposed to tell her and double-backed. Kassie made cupcakes, and she’d kill me if I forgot to tell Piper.
adam: surprise from illustrator in chief in fridge
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