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Coach’s eyes fired to me, and he frowned. “You okay, son?”
Embarrassed, I nodded once, trying my hardest to avoid the stares of thirteen different people. That was a lot of eyes. A lot of attention.
Wes held out the latte, and I accepted, grateful for the distraction. The warmth nearly stung my chilled palms when I wrapped my hands around it. Already feeling raw and exposed, I couldn’t bring myself to make eye contact with Max, instead just shifting a little in his direction. “Thank you for getting me a hot one.”
Max grunted, which was basically his version of you’re welcome.
I took a tentative sip, afraid to scald my tongue and then have that weird burnt feeling in my mouth the rest of the day. I didn’t need the agitation. I already had enough. Thankfully, the coffee was not too hot or too cold but just right, and I took a bigger sip, letting the sweet caramel coat my tongue.
“Get over here, bro!” Jamie waved me over, flipping the lid on a box of donuts. “You must be hangry. I got you.”
My stomach growled, and I joined the group, snagging a glazed donut from the center of the box and stuffing half of it in my mouth in one bite.
Jamie nodded sagely. “Prison food sucks, doesn’t it?”
Madison fisted her hands on her hips, tossing back her long dark hair. “And just how would you know that, Jamie?”
“Rush told me,” he deadpanned.
Everyone laughed as Rush gave Jamie the finger.
“Too soon to joke, bro?” Jamie chortled.
Rush shook his head and looked at me. “You ever wanna swap prison stories, let me know.”
I guess it wasn’t too soon for him, but it was for me. That was if my churning stomach was any indication. Because I wasn’t really sure what to say, I didn’t say anything at all, instead turning back to Jamie.
“They didn’t feed me.”
His mouth fell open. “They didn’t feed you? Like at all? Brooo,” he swore, hooking two more donuts on his finger and holding them out. “I thought they’d at least give you bread and water.”
There was water, I thought, remembering the constant dripping.
Jamie turned to Rory. “You better call up the ‘rents, camera girl. This for sure calls for legal action.”
Rory rolled her eyes but turned to me with a sincere expression. “I called them. They’re on standby if you need them.”
I paused in chewing, not knowing what to say. She called her lawyer parents for me… all the way in Chicago?
I nodded and, to save myself from doing more, shoved another bite of donut into my mouth. I was overwhelmed. I didn’t expect them all to be here.
Elite always shows up for each other. But am I really one of them?
“I tried to get you out last night, P,” Kruger said. “I came with bail and everything.”
I paused midchew. “D-did you call Gram?”
Kruger shook his head immediately. “Hell no! I knew you wouldn’t want that. She’ll only know about this if you decide to tell her.”
I relaxed a little. Knowing Gram wasn’t home worrying about me was a relief. “Thanks, Ben.”
He didn’t acknowledge the use of his first name, again, but he did bump his shoulder against mine. “You’re my ride-or-die, P.”
The donut turned lumpy in my throat, the uneaten chunk in my fingers suddenly so unappealing. Not even wanting to look at it, I held it out to Jamie.
“For me, bro?”
“Sharing is caring,” I said, trying to sound normal around the torrential downpour of emotion inside me.
