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The bus ridewas quiet that early in the morning, and I was glad for it.
I’d gotten home in time for curfew last night and made sure to crack down on the others, reminding them how important today’s game was. Sure, our record was damned good, but that meant we needed to win the rest of the season too.
We were playing a tough team with a similar record, and Coach had worked us hard this week. And my dad was working me hard from the other end. God, the pressure in my chest had been like a fifty-pound weight this morning, and Spencer was too groggy to notice how badly I’d sweat in my sheets. Again.
Thankfully, my killer headache went away with breakfast, which was provided by the assistant coaches. But before I could board the bus and indulge, I needed to run back to my room. As soon as I dug into my drawer and slipped Lark’s letter in the pocket of my sweats, I felt better.
Last night had seemed different between us. Tender and careful, like we were saying things with our mouths that we couldn’t out loud. Plus, that watermelon taste on his tongue always warmed me to my core. I desperately wanted to be with Lark, but I didn’t know how it would be possible. I could tell all the sneaking around was getting to him, and it certainly was wearing me down too.
I plopped down in a seat beside Spencer as the pork roll sandwiches were being passed around. Once satiated, I stood to help collect the scraps in a garbage bag, then took it toward the front of the bus.
When I sat down, I remembered the letter and dug in my pocket to retrieve it and place it in my bag. But all I felt was air. I checked my other pocket, which was empty, so I must’ve already stored it away in my groggy state.
Calm down, I told myself as I lifted my bag from under the seat and searched through it, only to come up empty-handed. Had I only imagined shoving it in my pocket? Maybe it was lying on the floor in our dorm. That did nothing to soothe my panic as I searched through all the compartments in my bag again, this time more frantically.
“What’s wrong?” Spencer asked. “Did you forget something?”
“Not exactly.” I shoved my hand in my pocket again. “Lost something.”
“What is it?”
“A…piece of paper that has something written on it.”
“Like a to-do list?” His eyebrows scrunched together. “Just make another one.”
“No, it’s not… I can’t…”
“What the hell is this?” Flash said, bending over to retrieve something in the aisle.
I felt a stab of panic as I sprang from my seat to grab the note from him, but he was already holding it up and reading it out loud.
Henners,
You mean a lot to me.
I’ll never forget you.
It’s been really hard, but you made everything better.
I’ll be rooting for you. Good luck.
XOXO,
Lark
“Oooh,” my teammates chanted.
“So it is true?” Flash asked. “You and Lark?”
“Is what true?” I said in a strangled voice that even I didn’t recognize. “Give me the fucking note.”
“Is that what you were searching for?” Spencer asked from behind me.
“Yeah, a note from our childhood.” My stomach was throbbing. I hated that he’d read it out loud and now everyone was wondering what in the fuck I was doing with the note to begin with.
“XOXO,” Flash teased.
“Hugs and kisses,” A-Train added with kissy noises. “You mean a lot to me!”
