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Nattie: I doubt that. See you tomorrow, QB. I’ll be the new girl.
Our lazy day also leaves me with a little time to worry about any of the ramifications of Friday night that I could possibly be walking into tomorrow. No one has seen or heard from Darby since the party.
Chloe tells me to stop worrying about it. She says he is a little bitch who got put down by a girl and two guys all in one night. Hopefully, she is right, and he will leave me alone, but it still makes me nervous.
Cooper and I decide that we are going to drive together to school in the morning, and I’ll take the car home in the afternoon. He says one of the guys will bring him home after practice.
As always, I start to cry at the scene between Spiderman and Iron Man at the end of the battle in Avengers Endgame.
Cooper laughs at me. “How many times have you seen this movie? Seriously. You know what’s going to happen, and you’re still crying.” He rolled his eyes at me. “I love you, sis. Your heart is too big.”
“Shut up. At least I have a heart, Dickhead.” I throw a pillow at his head.
Of course, that’s when my dad walks in. He clears his throat to get our attention, and we both look at our father’s massive presence. “Are you two ready for tomorrow? Need money? Anything?”
“Nope. We’re good. Chloe said you use your ID Card to buy lunch, and I checked, you already preloaded our accounts.”
Cooper looks at me, confused. “Really? Mine too?”
“Yes, Coop. I checked yours too. We’re both good. I printed out your schedule for you too. You are welcome,” I say exaggeratedly.
Cooper throws his arms dramatically around me. “Thank you, Nattie.” Then he starts to tickle me until I can’t breathe.
“Cooper, leave your sister alone.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “Yeah, Cooper, leave your sister alone.”
“Are the two of you eight or eighteen? Young lady, do you have your dance schedule for the week? Do you need anything?”
“No, thanks, Daddy. I think I’m good. I’m going over tomorrow after school for Annabelle to give me everything I need for the class that I will be teaching on Wednesdays. She’s the owner, and I’m going to be working with her individually for myself too.”
“Alright, you two. Make sure you call it a night soon. Love you, kids.” And then he’s gone.
That’s probably the most I’ve heard him speak all day. He has been hidden in the home office, doing whatever he does the day after game day. He always gives his players morning meetings that day and then afternoons off to rest and recoup, and he is always moody after a loss. Cooper and I are used to it. Today was a little worse because it looks like his quarterback is out for the season.
“For once, I agree with Dad, Coop. I’m going to bed. See you in the morning.” Standing up, I stretch my arms out above my head.
“It’s gonna be a good year, Nattie. I can feel it. Senior year, baby.” He pounds his chest like King Kong.
“Oh my God, Cooper. I think Murphy is starting to rub off on you.”
“Shut it, Nattie. It’s gonna be the best year yet. I know it.”
I keep walking and answer him without turning back. “I hope so.”
* * *
The next morning, I wake up at six to get in a run before I have to get ready for school. Since leaving California, I’ve been slacking on my eating habits, and I need to start to incorporate some of my old habits into my new life if I want my clothes to keep fitting. By seven, I’ve run three miles, showered, blow-dried my hair, and gotten dressed.
Not bad for under an hour.
The warning alarm I have set on my phone goes off, telling me I have five minutes left before we have to leave for school. I take stock of my appearance in my mirror. My hair is bouncy and wavy, my makeup is minimal, and my uniform isn’t the worst thing in the world. The shoes are not cute, but the rest isn’t too bad. I’m trying my brown shoes when Cooper knocks on the door.
“We need to get moving, Nattie. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Okay. I’ll be right there.” I put the strap of my Burberry messenger bag over my shoulder and across my chest and nearly skipped down the stairs with excitement. I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to a school year this much.
Cooper is pouring coffee into two to-go mugs and hands me the sparkly purple one. “Ready to go?”
