Page 38 of Walk the Line

It doesn’t take long for me to catch sight of Kaylah once again and the man who’s still by her side.

What the fuck could they have been talking about for all this time when she doesn’t like talking?

To be fair, it still looks like he’s doing all the work, but it doesn’t seem like he minds. If anything, the expression on his face is telling me that he’s happy to just be in her presence.

And he proves that again by trailing closely behind her when she makes her way to the front room.

I was gonna take this opportunity to go back to the confines of my room, but I still need to show my face at this party so I at least can say I did. Or maybe Coach’s daughter, Mimi, can.

I can’t think of any other reason why I would put myself through this stupid game.

There was never going to be enough seats in this place for everyone so most people are on the floor while I sit comfortably on the couch, Nathan and Daniel doing their double act beside me.

While the game gets off to a start, I read as a message comes through on my phone.

You seriously don’t care who your co-captain is?

It’s that dumb unknown number again.

When they sent something similar the other day, it didn’t take much for me to ignore it because that’s my common approach for most of my messages. I can’t deny the niggling feeling that remained in my mind at why someone was sending me something like this and why they were sending it to me.

But now I’m realising I should have thought the whole thing through a lot deeper.

Me: Who is this?

Unknown: Oh, now you care?

Me: Don’t waste my time.

Unknown: Not much of a conversationalist are you?

Unknown: If you were you would probably know what you need to know about your co-captain right now.

Me: Stop beating around the bush.

Me: If you have something to say, say it.

Unknown: Just that you should look into why she got expelled.

Expelled?

Me: Or you could just tell me.

Unknown: Did you know she got expelled?

Unknown: Of course not. You’re welcome, though.

Me: How did you get my number?

Unknown: Wouldn’t you like to know?

I’ve performed this same act already, and nothing comes up. I know this, I know it’s stupidity to try it once again, but even that isn’t enough to stop me from going to the Internet. This time, I type in “Kaylah Bamiah expelled from university” and sit back with no patience inside me as the page loads and as suspected, nothing of relevance comes up, not about her and definitely not about her expulsion.

Fuck, am I letting myself be played by a stranger?

But before I can think too hard about anything else, I hear a “Captain!” creep into my ears.

I look up to find that many people are saying my name and looking at me in excitement.