Page 8 of Trick Play

Well, maybe number two for me. I was still staring at the back of number one’s head, willing it to explode or him to fall face-first onto his desk from heart failure. Oh, but that would require him to have a beating heart. He did not.

“Can we at least pick our partners?” Brady, the brave, asked.

Clements smiled, and I glanced around at the people I knew from past classes, already narrowing my choices.

“No, I’ve found the best art happens when one is pushed from their comfort zone.”

Wow. He was falling so far down my list of favorite teachers so very fast.

He moved to the front table and picked up a piece of paper. “I’ve paired you already.” He started calling out names, and every muscle in my body tensed until I was pretty sure I was going to snap in half or break a molar.

He didn’t call my name. One by one, the people I knew were taken.

Don’t panic. This was a pretty big class. At least fifty students. What were the odds—

“And our two latecomers will be our last group.” He turned toward me. “Kennedy, you’ll be with Ethan.” He glanced down as he read, but he didn’t need to finish. I knew his last name. Cursed it a thousand times. “Clarkson.”

I couldn't move. Not even blink. I sat there, staring back at Clements, waiting for him to tell me this was a joke. He spoke to Professor Mackey about my aversion to hockey players and thought it would be funny to scare me.

He smiled and set the paper down before going to his laptop and opening it to our first lecture.

No.

No. No. No!

What had I done to deserve this? I donated what little extra money I had. I volunteered, and not just around the holidays. I was kind and patient with the elderly. I was a good person. Why was the universe determined to push me over my breaking point?

Kennedy: I’m cursed

Lauren: Oh no

Kennedy: We’re partners on the class project

I watched her bubble appear showing she was typing. After a solid minute of no response, I turned my attention to the board. Where the camera came from. Yeah, nothing noteworthy.

Lauren: I’ll take care of him for you

I covered my mouth. That was her long reply? I’m sure she went through several other options before this. But it was direct and to the point.

Lauren: I can make it look like an accident

Kennedy: We need to start watching new shows

Lauren: I’ve listened to plenty of country music. We’ll go all “Goodbye Earl” on him

Kennedy: He doesn’t like black-eyed peas

Lauren: Hmmm that protein shake tasted alright to me

I nearly burst out laughing. Joking about killing someone wasn’t okay, but any woman scorned knew sometimes you couldn’t help it. I didn’t want him dead. I wanted him to suffer the way he’d made me. I wanted to rip his world out from under him. I wanted to dangle his entire future in front of his face then throw it away without looking back.

At least, freshman year me wanted all that.

After three years, I was more mature. I moved on. I didn’t let his betrayal hurt me anymore. I was happy with my life. Mostly.

This would all be a whole lot easier if he at least got ugly over the years.

His hair had always been on the shaggy side but now it fell past in shoulders in sandy beach waves anyone would be envious of. He reached back, as if sensing my stare and pulled the glorious mane up In a messy bun I never would be able to master.