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“No, you need to go lead your practice and I need to get home.”
“Why didn’t you come to my house if Bianco was at yours? You usually leave.”
“I don’t leave, Nate kicks me out. And we all went to Bianco’s house. Whatever, it’s a long story.” She’s talking fast and panicking. The bottom base of her neck is shining with a veil of sweat.
“Rose, calm down. We’ll sort this out. Maybe you should see the school therapist, you need to talk to someone about this.”
“Ugh,” she groans but her voice is a lot deeper than usual. It’s not hoarse anymore, it’s completely broken. “I don’t need to see a therapist, Jamie. What Ineedis to get far away from this godforsaken town!” Her voice dies down before she can talk again. “Why is it always so fucking hot in here?!” She grabs at her hoodie and rips it away from herself, passing it over in a struggle of grunts and cries.
“Jesus, Rose…” I whimper, barely holding the tears at bay.
Under the hoodie, she’s in a white tank top. Her torso and arms are covered in deep purple bruises. If I thought last time was bad, I was completely mistaken. She’s got pink welts on her shoulders as well.
“I need to get far away from here. And my only chance is this full ride to Duke. If I don’t impress during this tournament, I’m just as good as dead.”
My voice is shaking when I reply. “You will. You will. We have no choice, we’ll make sure you will.”
“Ihaveto get a signed offer, Jamie,” she insists. “If not…if not…”
I get up and grab her hoodie from the floor. “You will,” I repeat, more determined than ever. “But the first step is for you to get some rest. You need to recover and be ready to practice every day next week.” I give her the hoodie back and help her put it back on. “You need to go home. I’ll walk you out.”
She nods at me, wipes her nose with the back of her hand, and gives me a small smile.
“Jake was right. You truly are an angel.”
Her words make me chuckle and we both head out together.
Outside, we wait on the steps together. Rose smokes a cigarette, her hood up and her eyes fixed on the horizon. I sit next to her, my hands desperately trying to keep my lacrosse skort from rising to my hips. These things are not meant for squatting, they’re meant for running.
“What would you do if you had a million dollars,” Rose asks me.
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “Probably spoil my mom. Buy her a house, pay her debts. Something like that.”
She nods, turns her head away from me, and blows away some smoke.
“And you?”
She turns back to me and shrugs.
“I don’t know. I ask myself all the time and I can’t find the answer.”
“Do youhavea million dollars?” I double-check. With this girl, you never know.
“Nah. But Nate does. He’s got multiple millions I bet. Freshly laundered as well. If he dies, I should inherit it.”
We both laugh and it feels good to hear that sound from her.
“What are you going to study at Duke?”
“Law.” She inhales on her cigarette, and I get mesmerized by her lips around it. They’re so red. Just like Jake’s. She exhales away from me again. “But I’m not going to Duke for now, so let’s not fantasize.”
She looks at the parking lot and her brows furrow.
“I’m sorry, Jamie. Chris was meant to pick me up. I don’t know what happened.”
I finally pull my gaze away from her lips just to find Jake’s car stopping in front of the stairs. He changed his car after going to North Shore High. He’s got a black SUV now. My heart picks up, like it always does whenever something related to him happens around me.
He stays in the car, and she takes another puff.
